Soccer player suffers gruesome spinal injury

Congolese soccer player Rodi N'daye was going after a loose ball on the pitch and took a slide kick from the goalkeeper. What happened next was pretty gruesome. He landed awkwardly on his neck and the game was called off immediately so he could be taken to the hospital.

Here's the doctor who performed the surgery with the most recent update, by way of the BBC:

On Tuesday, Dr Salah Abdelkhaleq said the player was doing better but it was too early to say if he will play again.

"He had serious damage to his spinal column between the fifth and sixth vertebrae, a blow to the spinal cord, breathing difficulties and brain bleeding, but the surgery was successful," the doctor said.

"The latest is that respiration is now stable after instability respiration on Monday. Chest muscles have been affected because of bruises in the cervical spinal cord.

"His blood pressure has stabilised, and the player is conscious and recognises people around him.

"As the main problem is the bruise in the spinal cord, we can judge the case after he get days of rest and medical follow-up."

As a show of support, Zamalek, the club N'daye's AC Leopards were facing, have volunteered to pay all of the player's medical expenses.

[h/t Deadspin]