Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai was reduced to tears after one his national coaches collapsed mid-game in a horror health scare.
The incident occurred in the seventh minute of tonight’s Nations League match between the Netherlands and Hungary. Hungary’s pitch coach, Ádám Szalai, fell ill on the team’s bench, causing the game to be paused during the medical emergency. Videos appeared to show the team’s staff reacting quickly to their colleague losing consciousness, and forming a protective ring around the 86-time national team player as treatment was administered.
The game stopped for less than a quarter of an hour, and Szalai was taken to hospital, after which the match got underway once more.
Dutch broadcaster NOS reported that Szalai was initially taken to the dressing room where he received further care for 20 minutes before being transported by ambulance, which notably did not use its siren.
In a Facebook post, Hungary’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, revealed that one of the consuls present at the match was assisting the national team and had been able to speak with Szalai.
Szalai, a former skipper of the Hungarian squad and current assistant national coach, boasts an impressive record with 86 international caps and 26 goals, making him one of Hungary’s top footballers in recent years.
He spent a significant part of his career in the German Bundesliga, playing for clubs such as Mainz, Schalke 04 and Hoffenheim.
