Turkish World Cup hero Recber hospitalised with coronavirus

Former Turkish national team and ex-Barcelona goalkeeper Rustu Recber is in hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, his wife said. Recber took on hero status in Turkey as he kept goal at the 2002 World Cup, anchoring his team to the semi-finals and ultimately third place, their greatest ever performance in the tournament.

The powerfully built and poney-tailed goalkeeper was easily recognisable at the World Cup due to the black, anti-reflection product he smeared beneath his eyes like some NFL players.

“Rustu is in hospital with a COVID-19 diagnosis,” Isil Recber said on Instagram late Saturday.

“We are in a state of shock after the symptoms developed rapidly while everything was normal. These are critical times and it’s very difficult.”

She added that she, as well as their son and daughter, had tested negative for the virus.

The goalkeeper, now 46, enjoyed a brief spell at Barcelona in 2003 after starring in the World Cup a year earlier when Turkey beat co-hosts South Korea 3-2 in the third-place play-off.

He also played for Istanbul giants Fenerbahce and Besiktas in football-mad Turkey before retiring in 2012.

Last week, Galatasaray manager Fatih Terim said he also tested positive for the virus.

Turkey has officially recorded 7,402 cases of the new coronavirus while 108 people have died, according to the health minister Saturday.

Meanwhile, Aston Villa goalkeeper Pepe Reina has said he believes he has been suffering from the new coronavirus.

Reina, who joined Villa on loan from AC Milan in January, was unable to take a test but says doctors considered his symptoms to be consistent with COVID-19.

“They don’t give you a test here unless you’re feeling really ill,” Reina told Spanish radio station Cope.

“I spoke with doctors and the symptoms I had were consistent with this (the virus) but there was no official confirmation.

“It was a different sort of week as I had to take precautions to avoid infecting those living with me.”

Reina, who has 36 caps for Spain and won the World Cup with his country in 2010, said his concern was more for people living in difficult conditions.

Agencies