#KeepFightingMichael: Sporting world pays tribute to Schumacher on 50th birthday
The world of sport has sent messages of support to Michael Schumacher on his 50th birthday as the seven-time Formula One champion continues to recover from a skiing accident in 2013.
#KeepFightingMichael was trending on social media around the world on Thursday morning in support of the most-decorated driver in F1 history, who suffered a traumatic brain injury while holidaying in the French Alps five years ago.
Our champ turns 50 today. We’re all with you Michael #KeepFighting pic.twitter.com/hN4n8Br1ap
— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) January 3, 2019
Happy 50th birthday, Goat!
— Nico Hülkenberg (@HulkHulkenberg) January 3, 2019
Stay strong and keep fighting!! pic.twitter.com/kHI3micbGh
Rival F1 teams, like Renault, McLaren and Mercedes, as well as the official accounts for race tracks like Brands Hatch and the Nurburgring, also wished Schumacher well.
50 years ago, a star was born. A star who shaped and changed @F1 forever. Who broke records, redefined excellence and helped lay the foundations for our future success.
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) January 3, 2019
We’d like to send our very best wishes to Michael @Schumacher on his 50th birthday. #KeepFighting #Michael50 pic.twitter.com/247WKprWCD
91 wins, 68 poles, seven @F1 titles… a true motorsport icon, who turns 50 today!
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) January 3, 2019
Wishing Michael @Schumacher all the best on his birthday 👉 https://t.co/H4mo3M8DZY #KeepFighting #Michael50 #F1 pic.twitter.com/y2Dd3FgHYb
Happy birthday @schumacher . Not a day goes by where I don’t think about you and your progress. #KeepFightingMichael pic.twitter.com/Yq30sN6aRX
— Seb Morris (@SebMorris31) January 3, 2019
Tributes also extended beyond motor sport.
The German national football team posted a tribute on Twitter wishing Schumacher a happy birthday alongside a picture of the driver visiting his countrymen in training.
Happy 50th birthday to the one and only Michael @schumacher! 🎉🎂#KeepFightingMichael #DieMannschaft pic.twitter.com/mpWdqFGrbo
— germanfootball_dfb (@DFB_Team_EN) January 3, 2019
In a tweet on the anniversary of the accident, former Arsenal and Germany striker Lukas Podolski simply posted the praying and strong arm emojis to Twitter alongside the hashtag #KeepFightingMichael.
#KeepFightingMichael 💪🏻🙏🏻
— Lukas-Podolski.com (@Podolski10) December 29, 2018
And the official account for Australian football club South Melbourne FC posted a picture of Schumacher in the club kit after a training session.
Wishing @F1 legend and friend of the club Michael Schumacher a Happy 50th Birthday for today.
— South Melbourne FC (@smfc) January 3, 2019
Here is Michael pictured with Vaughan Coveny following a training session with the senior team. #KeepFightingMichael #throwback #tbt pic.twitter.com/zK0MZ9Brv3
Schumacher's family led the tributes with the release of a "virtual museum" in the form of an app "to remember and celebrate his victories, his records and his jubilation".
Son Mick, who followed his father into motorsport, promoted the app and encouraged his Twitter followers to "have fun with it".
Enjoy! Habt Spass damit! #Michael50 #TeamMichael #TeamMS App by @keepfighting pic.twitter.com/axc3efV6OL
— Mick Schumacher (@SchumacherMick) January 3, 2019
And daughter Gina wished her father a happy birthday on Instagram with pictures from his glory days captioned "to the best dad".
The family of the German-born star, often called the greatest driver of all time, asked for continued privacy in a rare statement on Instagram.
"Please understand if we are following Michael's wishes and keeping such a sensitive subject as health, as it has always been, in privacy," it read.
"We say thank you very much for your friendship and wish you a healthy and happy year 2019."
