Hungary striker Barnabas Varga suffers fractured cheekbone after horror collision with Scotland goalkeeper

Natasha Everitt, Sports WriterPublished: 7:48, 24 Jun 2024Updated: 7:50, 24 Jun 2024

Hungary forward Barnabas Varga is stable in hospital, having suffered a fractured cheekbone in the win over Scotland.

At full-time the players dedicated their dramatic victory to Varga, whose collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn left him motionless on the pitch and required many minutes of treatment before being rushed to hospital in Stuttgart.

Gunn collided with Varga as he cleared the ball with a punch

He was down for a number of minutes and Hungary teammates ran to help get the stretcher on

Sheets were held up to shield him as medical staff went to workCredit: Getty

There was serious concern as he was escorted from the pitch, but thankfully he is in a stable condition in hospitalCredit: AFP

The Hungarian FA later confirmed the Ferencvaros striker was ‘stable’ and later added just before midnight: “Several bones in Barnabás Varga’s face were broken during the collision during the match, and he also suffered a concussion.

“The striker is most likely to undergo surgery. He spends the night in the hospital in Stuttgart. The whole team is rooting for him.”

Varga and Gunn clashed in the second half as a free-kick was swung into the Scotland box, with Gunn punching the ball away and making contact with Varga.

Both stars were left on the floor as a result, but Varga appeared to be unconscious with Hungary players immediately signalling for assistance.

“It was a bit of a blur,” Gunn later recalled of the incident. “I thought I had to come and thought I’d done well. It was a bit painful. Hopefully the guy is all right. I can’t really remember too much about it.”

Hungary, led by captain Dominik Szoboszlai, were unhappy that a stretcher took a while to come on and grabbed it to help get to their teammate quicker.

The game was then paused for more than five minutes while Varga received treatment on the pitch by medical experts and was replaced by Martin Adam.

Hungary’s captain was visibly shook as his teammate went offCredit: Getty

His teammates – who were all visibly shaken and concerned by the incident – made a wall around him as he was seen to.

There was a huge round of applause from everyone in the stadium in Stuttgart as Varga was lifted up and stretchered away.

Liverpool star and Hungary captain Szoboszlai was in tears as his teammate was taken off and later held his shirt as he celebrated the win with his teammates at the end of the game, which saw the winner scored in the ninth minute of ten added minutes.

Both Scotland and Hungary had needed to find a win to keep their Euro 2024 hopes alive.A draw wouldn’t have been enough for Hungary to stay in the competition.

Varga had everyone deeply worried but is now OKCredit: Getty

Meanwhile, a stalemate would have meant Scotland would depend on other results going their way to get through to the knockout stages in third place.

But it was Hungary that stole all three points at the death as Kevin Csoboth rose to be the hero in the dying moments.

A poor Scotland corner saw the Hungarians win the ball on the edge of their opponent’s area, with the ball then played to Roland Sallai.

He stormed to the byline, playing a cross into the box that Csoboth – who came on just after Varba’s departure – slotted beyond Gunn to win 1-0 and break Scotland hearts.

He held up Varga’s shirt as he celebrated his match-winning goal, while other Hungary stars also paid tribute to their stricken teammate after the match.

Csoboth dedicated his goal to VargaCredit: Getty

Hungary skipper Szoboszlai posed for a photo after the team’s victory whilst wearing the shirt of teammate Varga

The whole squad also posed for a picture with Varga’s shirt

Hungary finish Group A in third and have a strong chance of going through as one of the four best third-placed teams.

Scotland, meanwhile, finish bottom as their wait to reach a last 16 place in a major tournament goes on.

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