Togo midfielder Samuel Asamoah breaks neck in horrible pitch-side collision
Togo midfielder Samuel Asamoah has sustained multiple neck fractures and extensive nerve damage after a devastating collision with an LED advertising board during a match in China. His club, Guangxi Pingguo, confirmed the 31-year-old is at risk of paraplegia following the freak accident and is now in stable condition after emergency surgery.
The football world is sending support to Togo international Samuel Asamoah after he suffered a broken neck in a shocking accident during a second-tier Chinese league match on Sunday.
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The 31-year-old, who plays for Guangxi Pingguo, collided head-first with a pitch-side LED advertising panel after being shoved by an opponent. On Monday, his club released a grave statement, revealing Asamoah had sustained multiple neck fractures and severe nerve damage, putting him at risk of "high-level paraplegia"—the inability to voluntarily move the lower parts of his body.
The on-field incident
The injury occurred during a domestic match when Asamoah was pushed by Chongqing Tonglianglong midfielder Zhang Zhixiong, who was shown a yellow card for the challenge. The subsequent impact with the unyielding advertising board was catastrophic.
Guangxi Pingguo has since confirmed that Asamoah underwent emergency surgery and his condition is now stable. "His recovery progress will be announced in due course after follow-up examinations," the club stated.
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Asamoah, who earned six caps for Togo and spent the majority of his career in Belgium before moving to China in 2024, now faces a daunting road to recovery.
Focus on pitchside safety
This serious incident once again casts a harsh light on the dangers of playing in close proximity to solid, unpadded pitch-side obstacles.
The accident follows the tragic death last month of former Arsenal academy striker Billy Vigar. The 21-year-old died after sustaining a "significant brain injury" while playing for Chichester City FC, an injury thought to have been caused by a collision with a concrete wall near the pitch, although the club has not officially confirmed the cause. These events underscore the urgent need for heightened safety standards around playing surfaces globally.
