AIK star has to borrow shirt from fan to play game

AIK midfielder Celso Borges had to borrow a shirt from a fan to play what may have been his last game for the club in a 2-0 victory away to IFK Gothenburg on Monday.

Celso Borges pictured during the World Cup. Picture: Getty

The 26-year-old Costa Rican, the subject of a transfer bid from French Ligue 1 club Evian, was originally left out of the squad as negotiations continued, but with both sides failing to agree a deal he flew to Gothenburg for the league match.

Unfortunately for the midfielder, who featured in Costa Rica’s surprise run to the World Cup quarter-finals in Brazil, the kit man had not packed his No 10 shirt and he was forced to borrow one from a fan.

Sponsor’s patches were hastily sewn on to the shirt and Borges went on to play a key role in the win over Gothenburg, which put AIK second in the Allsvenskan, six points behind leaders Malmo.

“I’m proud to have helped the team I love,” the fan, named only as Luis, told Sportbladet. “I will always support AIK.”

Borges, who returned the shirt to the delighted supporter after the win, declined to speculate on whether it would be the last AIK jersey he would wear in his two-year stint at the club.