The 24-year-old Lokeren defender, pictured in the centre of the picture above, was playing in an U21 match against Genk when he lost consciousness and collapsed in the 25th minute.
Medics rushed onto the pitch and treated Mertens for several minutes. He was given CPR and treated with a defibrillator before an ambulance arrived on the pitch to take him to hospital.
Fans were asked to leave the stadium and the match was abandoned.
According to Belgian news site HLN.be, Mertens is fighting for his life in an induced coma.
Mertens has made 15 appearances for Lokeren this season, including three in the Europa League where he faced Hull City.
As part of the requirement for the European campaign, Mertens would have undergone medical tests but a heart defect or condition was never found.
The player moved to Lokeren last summer after three years at Cercle Brugge. He’s a former Belgian international at U21 level.
No comments:
Post a Comment