Barnabas Varga now stable after suffering multiple broken bones

Hungary forward Barnabas Varga is now in a stable condition in a Stuttgart hospital after having suffered multiple broken bones in his face and also a concussion during a collision with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn in their Euro 2024 match on Sunday. Varga’s club Ferencvaros confirmed he will most likely undergo surgery.

The incident occurred in the 82nd minute when Varga and Gunn challenged for a high ball, resulting in a seven-minute stoppage in play[5]. Varga’s Hungary teammates immediately called for medical attention and helped bring the stretcher onto the pitch. 

A screen was erected around Varga as he received treatment, with several players visibly distressed, including Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai.

Despite the serious injury, Varga was conscious when he left the field. Marco Rossi  Hungary manager said, “In that moment, I did not realise immediately [how serious it was, then when I saw the players call the doctors I started to be worried]. Everybody was really worried. But when Barnie left the pitch he was already awake. He was OK, so this is very good. The guy is healthy.”

Varga’s injury came in a crucial match for Hungary, who went on to win 1-0 thanks to Kevin Csoboth’s stoppage-time goal, keeping their hopes of qualifying for the Euro 2024 knockout stage alive. 

Csoboth celebrated by holding up Varga’s jersey, and after the match, the Hungary squad gathered on the pitch with Szoboszlai wearing Varga’s jersey back-to-front in support of his teammate.

While Rossi acknowledged Varga will most likely miss the rest of the tournament, he emphasized that the most important thing is that Varga is healthy. The incident serves as a sobering reminder of the risks players face on the pitch and the importance of prioritizing player safety in the sport.

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