LAFC honored Kobe and Gigi Bryant with a giant purple and gold tifo

The MLS franchise erected a giant, purple and gold portrait of the Los Angeles Lakers legend and his daughter behind one of the nets.
The tifo read "Kobe & Gigi Forever."
The team also honored the Bryants and the other seven victims of last month's helicopter crash on its captain's armbands.
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Kobe Bryant was a lifelong soccer fan, so it's only fitting that his hometown MLS team would honor the former Los Angeles Lakers star.

Fans at LAFC's Thursday night Concacaf Champions League match against Club Lon raised a giant, purple and gold tifo featuring Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter, Gigi, with the words "Kobe & Gigi Forever."

"The Black Mamba" and his second-eldest daughter died in a tragic helicopter accident on January 26. Seven others were also killed in the crash, which stunned the sports world and left the city of Los Angeles and beyond mourning for the icon and the families of the victims.

The team also honored Kobe, Gigi, and the other seven people who died in the crash with its captain's bands, which had each of the nine names inscribed on them. The black and gold bands also said "KB" on one side and had the five-time NBA champion's two jersey numbers 8 and 24 stitched into them as well.

After opening the series with a 2-0 loss in the first leg, LAFC took down its Liga MX opponent 3-0 on the night to advance to the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals.

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