Ajax footballer Abdelhak Nouri wakes up from coma after 2 years and 8 months

Amsterdam, March 27: Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri who had collapsed during a friendly match in 2017 has recovered from an induced coma after nearly three years and has been enjoying football again, his family confirmed in a statement on Friday.

 

Abderrahim, his brother stated that he is no longer in a coma but he is still bedridden and very dependent on us. Through his eyes, he tries to build communication with his family. He also said that Nouri has even started watching football again. 

In July, at 20, the Dutch player had collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrhythmia attack during a pre-season friendly match against Werder Bremen. Following five days, it was learned that the attack left him with severe and permanent brain damage and unable to continue as a footballer.  

 

 

Nouri surged through the youth ranks at the Johan Cruyff ArenA before graduating to the senior squad in 2015. He went on to take in nine competitive first-team appearances for Ajax, including three in the Europa League, though he did not play in the final leading a defeat against Manchester United.

However, in June 2018, Ajax announced an investigation had found that the medical treatment Nouri received on the field was "inadequate". This made his family prepare a lawsuit against Ajax through the Royal Dutch Football Association's arbitration panel but it was a failure on the side of his family as it was the due haste which was responsible for causing his brain damage.