Louis Saha described his return to Goodison Park for the Game4Hope charity match as an emotional experience, as the former Everton striker took part in the star-studded event.
The game was held to raise funds for homelessness charity Shelter and the work of Everton in the Community. Although Saha did not play, he said simply being back under the lights at Goodison meant a great deal to him as he praised the “Merseyside spirit”.
Saha hails 'Merseyside spirit'
Speaking about the region coming together for a good cause, Saha, who scored 35 goals in 115 appearances for Everton, said: “It's a special part of the world. People don't understand the Merseyside spirit.
“I remember coming with Manchester United [another of his former clubs], and I had this amazing first half, and the manager destroyed me at half-time because he knew what was coming - the Goodison spirit and Everton managed to come back. It was a great game, and a great way for understanding the spirit.”
Reflecting on FA Cup final heartbreak
On returning to the Blues, for whom he opened the scoring in the 2009 FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea, he added: “It's enormous, I have great memories, great support from the fans.”
His return prompted him to look back on that FA Cup final defeat and the disappointment it caused. He said: “I was so down after the final. I was so down.
“I think I missed the World Cup [with France]. I missed the Champions League final [with Man Utd], but to miss this [winning this] trophy was really a heartbreak for me. I really, I felt it even more in my bones because I lost my family member in that week. I felt like it was very, very difficult to digest.
“So I have this memory where I wanted to be part of this [club’s] history. We didn't really make it, but I'm very, very happy to be here.”
