Wout Weghorst Prioritizes 'Life Over Penalty' After Visiting Hungary's Dressing Room Following Coach's Collapse

Wout Weghorst has stated that the penalty he scored is "secondary to life" after facing criticism for celebrating shortly after Hungary assistant coach Adam Szalai collapsed during a Nations League match.

WHAT HAPPENED?

In the Netherlands' clash against Hungary, Szalai collapsed on the sidelines, prompting immediate medical attention. Minutes later, Weghorst converted a penalty and celebrated with a knee-slide, which many deemed "inappropriate" under the circumstances. Reflecting on the incident, the Dutch striker acknowledged he could have responded more thoughtfully and revealed he checked on Szalai’s condition at halftime.

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WHAT WEGHORST SAID

Speaking to NOS, Weghorst said: "I don't think I need to explain to anyone that my penalty is secondary to a life. I didn't think about it for a moment during the match. The game continues, and you're so focused, but afterwards you realize—someone has just been resuscitated. I honestly didn’t think about that in the moment."
He added: "At halftime, I asked about his condition. I just got back to the dressing room and heard he was talking again. Thank God it's all good."

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

Szalai, a former Hungary forward, reassured fans of his recovery later that evening. In a social media post, he wrote: "Thanks for the lots of messages, I'm doing well." He remains under observation following the incident.

WHAT'S NEXT?

While it’s unclear when Szalai will resume coaching duties, Weghorst is expected to play for the Netherlands again in their Nations League match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Tuesday.