Soccer players who collapsed on the pitch

Just seven months after he collapsed, Eriksen had signed a six-month deal with Brentford to continue his sport professionally. "Happy to announce that I've signed with Brentford Football Club," Eriksen revealed on his Instagram in January 2022. "I can't wait to get started and hopefully I'll see you all very soon."

2 / 27 Fotos

Bafétimbi Gomis -

The French striker has a medical condition (reportedly reflex syncope), which has caused him to faint on the pitch numerous times throughout the years.

3 / 27 Fotos

Fabrice Muamba -

The English midfielder collapsed on the pitch in 2012 due to cardiac arrest, this during a game between the Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur.

4 / 27 Fotos

Fabrice Muamba -

Muamba was reported dead for 78 minutes before he was revived. He survived, but retired shortly after, at the age of 24.

5 / 27 Fotos

Daniel Jarque -

The Espanyol player died from cardiac arrest after a training session on August 8, 2009. You may remember that Andrés Iniesta honored him after scoring the World Cup-winning goal for Spain in 2010.

6 / 27 Fotos

Miklós Fehér -

The former Benfica player collapsed on January 25, 2004, during a game.

7 / 27 Fotos

Miklós Fehér -

The Hungarian striker ended up passing away as a result of cardiac arrhythmia. "Miki" Fehér was 24.

8 / 27 Fotos

Marc-Vivien Foé -

The Cameroonian player collapsed during a Confederations Cup game in 2003 due to a heart attack. Though resuscitation attempts were made, he didn't survive.

9 / 27 Fotos

Antonio Puerta -

The Sevilla player collapsed on the pitch and regained consciousnesses. He then collapsed again in the dressing room.

10 / 27 Fotos

Antonio Puerta -

The Spanish midfielder died three days later, on August 28, 2007, of a heart disease known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, following several cardiac arrests.

11 / 27 Fotos

Cheick Tioté -

The midfielder fainted during training with Chinese club Beijing Enterprises. The Ivorian player ended up dying in hospital on June 5, 2017. He's pictured while still a Newcastle United player.

12 / 27 Fotos

Phil O'Donnell -

The Scottish midfielder collapsed and died of heart failure during a game for his team Motherwell in December 2007. This happened right before he was substituted.

13 / 27 Fotos

Patrick Ekeng -

On May 6, 2016, the Cameroonian defensive midfielder collapsed on the pitch while representing his club Dinamo București. He was transported to the hospital, where he died two hours later.

14 / 27 Fotos

Naoki Matsuda -

On August 2, 2011, the Japanese player collapsed during training due to cardiac arrest. He died two days later. He's pictured playing for the team where he spent 15 years, the Yokohama F. Marinos.

15 / 27 Fotos

Piermario Morosini -

The Italian midfielder died on April 14, 2012, after suffering a heart attack and collapsing during a game between Livorno and Pescara.

16 / 27 Fotos

Alex Apolinario -

On January 3, 2021, the Alverca player went into cardiac arrest on the pitch in Portugal. The Brazilian player eventually died four days later.

17 / 27 Fotos

Moïse Brou Apanga -

The Gabonese defender born in the Ivory Coast died of a heart attack during training on April 26, 2017. He's pictured while still a player for Brest in 2012.

18 / 27 Fotos

Gregory Mertens -

On April 30, 2015, the Belgian player died of heart failure, three days after collapsing during a game, while playing for Lokeren. He was 24 years old.

19 / 27 Fotos

Matt Gadsby -

The English player died on September 9, 2006, after collapsing while playing for Hinckley United. Gadsby (pictured here playing for the Kidderminster Harriers) reportedly died from a heart condition known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

20 / 27 Fotos

Bernardo Ribeiro -

The Brazilian player died of a heart attack on May 7, 2016, while playing for Ideal EC. He's pictured here when playing for the Newcastle Jets.

21 / 27 Fotos

Endurance Idahor -

The Nigerian player collapsed while playing for Sudanese club Al-Merreikh on March 6, 2010. He died while being transported to hospital.

22 / 27 Fotos

Choirul Huda -

The Indonesian goalkeeper collided with a teammate during a game, suffering injuries to his jaw and head. The Persela Lamongan player ended up dying later, in hospital.

23 / 27 Fotos

Renato Curi -

The Italian midfielder collapsed during a game between his team, Perugia, and Juventus, in October 1977. He died of a heart attack.

24 / 27 Fotos

Serhiy Perkhun -

The goalkeeper for CSKA Moscow passed away in 2001, following a coma. He accidentally collided with a player during a game and suffered a knock to the head.

25 / 27 Fotos

Jeanine Christelle Djomnang -

The Cameroonian goalkeeper collapsed while warming up for a game on May 8, 2016. The cause of her death was reportedly a heart attack.

Sources: (Reuters) (BeSoccer)

26 / 27 Fotos

Getty Images

0 / 27 Fotos

Christian Eriksen -

Getty Images

1 / 27 Fotos

Christian Eriksen -

Getty Images

2 / 27 Fotos

Bafétimbi Gomis -

The French striker has a medical condition (reportedly reflex syncope), which has caused him to faint on the pitch numerous times throughout the years.

Getty Images

3 / 27 Fotos

Fabrice Muamba -

The English midfielder collapsed on the pitch in 2012 due to cardiac arrest, this during a game between the Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur.

Getty Images

4 / 27 Fotos

Fabrice Muamba -

Muamba was reported dead for 78 minutes before he was revived. He survived, but retired shortly after, at the age of 24.

Getty Images

5 / 27 Fotos

Daniel Jarque -

The Espanyol player died from cardiac arrest after a training session on August 8, 2009. You may remember that Andrés Iniesta honored him after scoring the World Cup-winning goal for Spain in 2010.

Getty Images

6 / 27 Fotos

Miklós Fehér -

The former Benfica player collapsed on January 25, 2004, during a game.

Getty Images

7 / 27 Fotos

Miklós Fehér -

The Hungarian striker ended up passing away as a result of cardiac arrhythmia. "Miki" Fehér was 24.

Getty Images

8 / 27 Fotos

Marc-Vivien Foé -

The Cameroonian player collapsed during a Confederations Cup game in 2003 due to a heart attack. Though resuscitation attempts were made, he didn't survive.

Getty Images

9 / 27 Fotos

Antonio Puerta -

The Sevilla player collapsed on the pitch and regained consciousnesses. He then collapsed again in the dressing room.

Getty Images

10 / 27 Fotos

Antonio Puerta -

The Spanish midfielder died three days later, on August 28, 2007, of a heart disease known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, following several cardiac arrests.

Getty Images

11 / 27 Fotos

Cheick Tioté -

The midfielder fainted during training with Chinese club Beijing Enterprises. The Ivorian player ended up dying in hospital on June 5, 2017. He's pictured while still a Newcastle United player.

Getty Images

12 / 27 Fotos

Phil O'Donnell -

The Scottish midfielder collapsed and died of heart failure during a game for his team Motherwell in December 2007. This happened right before he was substituted.

Getty Images

13 / 27 Fotos

Patrick Ekeng -

On May 6, 2016, the Cameroonian defensive midfielder collapsed on the pitch while representing his club Dinamo București. He was transported to the hospital, where he died two hours later.

Getty Images

14 / 27 Fotos

Naoki Matsuda -

On August 2, 2011, the Japanese player collapsed during training due to cardiac arrest. He died two days later. He's pictured playing for the team where he spent 15 years, the Yokohama F. Marinos.

Getty Images

15 / 27 Fotos

Piermario Morosini -

The Italian midfielder died on April 14, 2012, after suffering a heart attack and collapsing during a game between Livorno and Pescara.

Getty Images

16 / 27 Fotos

Alex Apolinario -

On January 3, 2021, the Alverca player went into cardiac arrest on the pitch in Portugal. The Brazilian player eventually died four days later.

Getty Images

17 / 27 Fotos

Moïse Brou Apanga -

The Gabonese defender born in the Ivory Coast died of a heart attack during training on April 26, 2017. He's pictured while still a player for Brest in 2012.

Getty Images

18 / 27 Fotos

Gregory Mertens -

On April 30, 2015, the Belgian player died of heart failure, three days after collapsing during a game, while playing for Lokeren. He was 24 years old.

Getty Images

19 / 27 Fotos

Matt Gadsby -

Getty Images

20 / 27 Fotos

Bernardo Ribeiro -

The Brazilian player died of a heart attack on May 7, 2016, while playing for Ideal EC. He's pictured here when playing for the Newcastle Jets.

Getty Images

21 / 27 Fotos

Endurance Idahor -

The Nigerian player collapsed while playing for Sudanese club Al-Merreikh on March 6, 2010. He died while being transported to hospital.

Getty Images

22 / 27 Fotos

Choirul Huda -

The Indonesian goalkeeper collided with a teammate during a game, suffering injuries to his jaw and head. The Persela Lamongan player ended up dying later, in hospital.

Getty Images

23 / 27 Fotos

Renato Curi -

The Italian midfielder collapsed during a game between his team, Perugia, and Juventus, in October 1977. He died of a heart attack.

Public Domain

24 / 27 Fotos

Serhiy Perkhun -

The goalkeeper for CSKA Moscow passed away in 2001, following a coma. He accidentally collided with a player during a game and suffered a knock to the head.

Getty Images

25 / 27 Fotos

Jeanine Christelle Djomnang -

The Cameroonian goalkeeper collapsed while warming up for a game on May 8, 2016. The cause of her death was reportedly a heart attack.

Sources: (Reuters) (BeSoccer)

Getty Images

26 / 27 Fotos

Soccer players who collapsed on the pitch

Luton Town captain Tom Lockyer suffers cardiac arrest mid-game

18/12/23 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Sports

Soccer players are undoubtedly some of the fittest people on earth. But sometimes even the best have hidden underlying health conditions that can knock them down. Sadly, the history of the sport is tainted with stories of players who have collapsed on the pitch. From heart attacks to accidents that rendered them unconscious, we've seen our fair share of soccer stars collapsing.

Luton Town's Premier League match against Bournemouth was suspended on Saturday, Dec. 16, after Tom Lockyer collapsed. The Luton captain, 29, fell to the ground suddenly in the 58th minute of the game and was quickly surrounded by first responders. Players from both teams were sent off while Lockyer received what may have been life-saving treatment. Shortly after, he was taken off the pitch on a stretcher as the entire stadium clapped to show their support. It was later revealed that Lockyer had gone into cardiac arrest during the game, but was responsive by the time he was stretchered off. He was taken straight to hospital to undergo tests. Luton Town confirmed the next day that he was stable but awaiting test results to get a clearer picture of his condition.

This isn't the first time Lockyer has collapsed on the pitch. He had a similar scare in May 2023 after briefly passing out during a match against Coventry City. He was taken to hospital where he learned he was suffering from atrial fibrillation, a condition that cause an irregular and abnormally fast heartbeat. After undergoing heart surgery, he was given the all-clear to play again in June.

Browse through the following gallery and revisit more of the terrifying moments when soccer players collapsed during a game.