Nine years after Abdelhak Nouri suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, his brother has shared encouraging news about the former Ajax Amsterdam player.
The Dutch midfielder of Moroccan origin was just 20 when he collapsed during a friendly against Werder Bremen in 2017.
A lack of oxygen left him with severe brain damage, and he remained in a coma for almost three years. Today, his brother says, his health appears to have improved.
Speaking to the website "Foot Mercato", his brother said: "He is fine, and his condition is stable. Especially compared to his condition at the beginning. When my brother returned to the Netherlands after the accident, it was an extremely difficult time. Compared to that period, things are much better now."
One memory stands out. Three years after the accident, Nouri smiled for the first time.
The family had gathered together when a joke sparked a wave of laughter from the former footballer. "To this day, his smile carries a completely different meaning from the smiles of others. It was a confirmation that he knows us and understands us."
Nouri's story shook Dutch football, and Ajax above all. The club retired his number 34 shirt in tribute to their former player.