I am overjoyed,
Cyriaque Irié said after scoring his first Bundesliga goal in the 85th minute to give SC Freiburg a 2:1 win against Augsburg, swr.de reported.
The 21-year-old forward entered the match just two minutes before heading in the decisive goal on Thursday evening. Teammates immediately mobbed the goalscorer, while the entire bench jumped to their feet to form a celebration huddle. Even after the final whistle, Japanese teammate Keisuke Goto had to encourage the modest right winger to accept further celebrations from the crowd.
Affectionately nicknamed “Cycy” by his teammates, the Ivorian arrived in Freiburg during the summer of 2025. He transferred from French second-division club ESTAC Troyes for a reported fee of around 8.5 million euros. Club officials brought him in as one of the most expensive acquisitions in club history to provide fresh momentum for the offense through his pace, physical strength, and one-on-one ability.
The expected quick breakthrough stalled after his Bundesliga debut on the opening matchday against Augsburg. A bout of malaria interrupted his progress. During his teenage years, Irié chose to represent Burkina Faso internationally rather than the Ivory Coast. He contracted the illness during an international trip, requiring hospitalization and weeks of recovery that left him chasing match fitness and restricted mostly to substitute appearances.
Despite setbacks, Irié maintained his work ethic. He has been very, very hardworking, even when he wasn’t playing,
Matthias Ginter told swr.de following the Augsburg match. Head coach Julian Schuster noted visible development, stating that the player has grown older and more mature over the past year.
Language barriers remain a hurdle, as Irié speaks little German or English. He practices regularly with club language teacher Stefanie Nerling. During post-match interviews, left-back Jordy Makengo served as an interpreter, though Irié emphasizes his desire to learn independently and views the squad as a tight-knit family.
The whole team is happier for him than about the win, because he is someone for whom things haven’t always been easy,
teammate Igor Matanovic told swr.de.
Strong performances as a substitute recently earned Irié his first start since a Conference League qualification match against Motherwell, featuring in the starting lineup for an away fixture against Trabzonspor.
On Sunday, November 8, at 17:30, Freiburg hosts Union Berlin. Coach Julian Schuster will decide whether the physical forward earns another substitute appearance or a place in the starting XI against the compact defensive unit from the capital.
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