April 21 (Reuters) - French teenager Tahirys Dos Santos said signing his first professional contract with Ligue 1 club FC Metz on Monday was all the more meaningful after he survived a bar fire at the Swiss ski resort of Crans‑Montana that killed 41 people in January.
The 19-year-old defender, who has been part of the Metz academy since the age of eight, returned to action earlier this month with the club’s reserve side in a home match against FC Balagne.
He has signed a one-year contract till 2027, the club added.
"This moment has an even more special meaning after the difficult months I went through in the hospital," Dos Santos said in a statement.
"This ordeal made me stronger and taught me to never give up.
"Finally, I want to send all my support to everyone who is still fighting. Never lose hope.”
Metz are at the bottom of the table in Ligue 1 with 15 points in 30 games, 10 away from the relegation playoffs zone.
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
