How emotive tifo gave Palace fans belief of cup final win

Two Wembley fans froze on the spot when Crystal Palace supporters unveiled a giant tifo during the club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City on Saturday.

Brothers Nathan and Dominic Wealleans, who were pictured disbelieving with their father in 2011, were seen displaying themselves on the banner.

As the Eagles defeated Manchester United in the 2011 League Cup quarter-final, the family was celebrating a thunderous 35-yard strike from Darren Ambrose.

For Palace fans, the image has come to symbolize the brothers’ lost loved ones since their father, Mark, passed away in 2017 from cancer.

Dominic said watching the tifo gave him the impression that his side would cause an upheaval following Palace’s 1-0 victory, which earned the club’s first major trophy.

“We just froze, thinking, “Have they actually done this?” Dominic remarked.

“This is our day today, this is the day we do it,” said the club’s representative. “That moment meant something to us two.

We were receiving handshakes, hugs, high-fives, and other things. It was incredible and a truly special experience.

The brothers, who made up the group of about 30 000 fans in the Palace End at Wembley, were aware that a tifo had been created but were unaware that they would be displayed on it.

Nathan remarked, “I had no idea it was going to be us.”

I anticipated that a player’s retirement this year would affect it. Then someone unexpectedly informs us, and as a result, we burst into tears right away.