Szoboszlai and the moment of conquering the world

Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai was eager to help the medical staff carry a stretcher onto the pitch to help treat his teammate Barnabas Varga

“A picture is worth a thousand words” is perhaps the most genuine and touching thing seen at the Stuttgart Arena (Stuttgart, Germany) in the final match of Group A between Scotland and Hungary. That moment belonged to Szoboszlai – the player who did not hesitate to carry a stretcher with the medical staff onto the pitch to help his teammate Varga who was unconscious after a strong collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

At the time of the incident, many players initially did not realize the seriousness of Varga’s injury. However, Szoboszlai was different.

As soon as he approached his teammate who collapsed on the pitch, the 23-year-old midfielder soon realized something was wrong. While the surrounding players stood still and did not know what to do, others shouted to the medical staff in despair, Szoboszlai immediately ran out to the field, helping the medical staff carry the stretcher in.

“I was one of the first people there. I was in. I tried to put his body on me, which is the best thing you can do in situations like that. If Varga had been lying on his stomach, it could have prevented him from getting enough air,” Szoboszlai said.

According to Szoboszlai, he did not know the rules for the medical staff, such as when they could enter the field, whether the medical staff could enter the field only if the players shouted for help.

The Hungarian captain was very angry at the slow response from the medical staff. “I don’t think so,” Szoboszlai said when asked if he saw the medical staff react quickly to the situation.

“Everyone saw that it was a serious situation. Everyone should have rushed onto the pitch to treat a seriously injured player. Sometimes, a player’s life can be saved in seconds,” the Hungarian captain stressed.

The moment the medical staff treated Varga, Szoboszlai was seen unable to control his emotions, his eyes filled with tears. When Kevin Csoboth scored in the 90+10 minute, Szoboszlai approached and gave Varga the number 19 shirt that belonged to him as a way to honor his teammate.

Varga’s condition has stabilized after being taken to hospital for examination. The Hungarian striker may need surgery due to several fractures in his face. The problem also caused Varga to say goodbye to the EURO 2024 finals.

In the match against Scotland, Csoboth played the role of hero for the Hungarian team, he scored the only goal to help the home team win 1-0. However, the moment of enthusiasm of captain Szoboszlai became the moment to conquer the world. It shows that football is still very beautiful and humane.