Barnabas Varga to undergo surgery on facial fracture & won't play again at Euro 2024 if Hungary progress after horrifying collision during Scotland game

The 29-year-old required urgent medical attention after competing for a high ball during the Group A clash with Scotland. He was caught as Angus Gunn attempted to punch the ball clear, with team-mates immediately alarmed by Varga’s condition as he lay prone on the pitch.

A protective screen was erected using blankets, in order to give the player and physios some privacy, with Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai in tears before Varga was stretchered from the field and taken to hospital. It was later announced that Varga was conscious and “stable” in a Stuttgart medical facility.

A further statement from the Hungarian football federation read: “Several bones in Barnabas Varga’s face were broken during the collision during the match, and he also suffered a concussion. The Ferencvaros striker is most likely to undergo surgery. He spends the night in the hospital in Stuttgart. The whole team is rooting for him!”

Hungary boss Marco Rossi said of the scary incident: “I do not know if he suffered a clash with the goalkeeper or another opponent because it was a confusing situation. That is also why the VAR checked if there was a penalty or not. What I heard from the players was that Barnay in that moment looked not conscious. Everybody was really worried about his condition and also worried about the fact the doctors arrived a little bit late, shall we say. They probably didn’t realise it was a dangerous situation. Fortunately now we can say Barnay is not under any kind of risk. Probably he will be operated on in the following hours because he suffered a fracture. The most important thing is he is healthy. For sure, if we go through in this competition he will not be part of the team any more.”

There is a chance that Hungary will make the last 16 of Euro 2024 following their dramatic win over Scotland, with Kevin Csoboth’s goal in the 100th minute seeing them to a 1-0 victory and three points that may be enough to see them through as one of the best third-placed sides.