Antonín Kinský has received a wave of messages of support after his substitution in the Atlético de Madrid vs. Tottenham Hotspur Champions League match. He was subbed in the 17th minute, replaced with the usual starting goalkeeper for the Spurs, Guglielmo Vicario. Two of the first three goals were caused directly by Kinský, mistakes (a slip and a missed kick), that cost him the early substitution, something almost never seen in professional football for a goalkeeper.
When he went directly to the dressing room, most of his teammates who were on the bench followed him to comfort him. The 23-year-old Czech goalkeeper, who was making his Champions League debut, was visibly distressed and crying. When he left, thousands of rival fans at the Metropolitano stadium applauded in support, knowing how difficult it was for him.
Almost instantly, his Instagram account was flooded with thousands of messages of support. "Stay strong", "Mucha fuerza", "Heads up", "Zustaň silný" and hundreds of messages were written on his most recent post.
<social>https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTqLPahCGpV</social>
David de Gea, former Manchester United goalkeeper, now at Fiorentina, also wrote a message on X. "No one who hasn't been a goalkeeper can understand how difficult it is to play in this position. Keep your head up and you will go again."
<social>https://x.com/D_DeGea/status/2031474409416831122</social>