by Crystian Cruz

• by Hiten Mandalia, writing from West London

It was the 41st minute at White Hart Lane. The FA Cup tie between Tottenham and Bolton was 1-1. Suddenly, Fabrice Muamba collapses to the ground. There were no players around him, there wasn’t a tackle on him, but he just collapsed to the ground.

When the medical staff from both teams rushed to the pitch, it was evident it was something serious. They spent a good ten minutes on the pitch, trying to turn him over onto his back and they tried their best to resuscitate him. It was something so serious, that the distress on the face of the players was emotional. The fans from both teams showed their support by chanting Fabrice Muamba’s name and they clapped him off when the medical tea, took him to the ambulance.

This wasn’t about football anymore. This was about a young man’s life that could be taken away from him. The emotions from the crowd were clearly evident. People were crying, prayed that he would get better soon, they were in hope rather than agony, but most of all, everyone hoped that he would pull through.

This made headlines in the footballing world, and it was supported when Real Madrid wore t-shirts in their game against Malaga that said ‘Get better soon Muamba’. They were also wearing t-shits that prayed for Eric Abidal to recover, as he was undergoing treatment too.

Muamba’s heart had stopped for two hours, but thankfully, his heart had started pumping by itself. In the last few hours, it has been confirmed by doctors that he can move his legs and arms freely, and just recently, he is able to speak to friends and family without any assistance. He’s slowly getting better, but still remains in a critical state.

There have been similar incidents that have occurred in the past. Most noticeably, it had happened to Marc Vivien Foe, who had collapsed during a football match, and died, on the pitch. It’s moments like these when it hits you, that there are more important things to life than just football.

Whether you’re a football fan or not, this is a striking and emotional matter that suggests that you never know what’s round the corner. Yes, Muamba is on the road to recovery, but anything can happen to anyone at anytime, no matter how young or old a person is.

May you recover as soon as possible Muamba and all our thoughts are with your family and friends.

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