Hungary coach Adam Szalai says he is “fine” after collapsing during his team’s Nations League match against the Netherlands on Saturday.
The match in Amsterdam was stopped for 13 minutes when the 36-year-old fell ill in the seventh minute.
A makeshift medical tent was set up to treat Szalai on the bench before he was rushed to hospital, leaving Liverpool captain and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai crying on the pitch.
“Thank you for so many messages, I’m fine,” Szalai wrote on Facebook.
The Hungarian Football Association said the country’s former international striker was “stable and conscious” on Friday night.
Szalai, who made 86 international appearances before retiring from football in 2023, was stretchered off the bench at the Johan Cruyff Arena before the match resumed.
When play resumed, the Netherlands were awarded a penalty following a video assistant referee (VAR) review.
Ajax striker Wout Weghorst converted the penalty in the 21st minute and celebrated by sliding on his knees towards the corner flag as the hosts opened the scoring in a 4-0 victory.
The former Burnley and Manchester United striker was criticized for his celebration but later said: “I never thought for a moment that this would seem unpleasant.
“In retrospect, you think, ‘Would it have been more respectful to cheer with less enthusiasm?’ Let it be clear that your life is more important than my goal. I hope I don’t have to explain it to anyone.
“Taking a penalty is normally exciting, but I think this was one of the hardest penalties of my life. When you score it, there is pure relief and release. That’s why I didn’t realize what I was cheering for.”
Netherlands captain Virgil van Dijk added: “I didn’t think the celebration was exaggerated at all. Hungary made the decision to keep playing. Then you keep playing the match.”
The Dutch successfully qualified for the quarterfinals of the Nations League.
