Former Turkish national team and ex-Barcelona goalkeeper Rustu Recber was discharged from hospital on Monday after recovering from coronavirus, his wife said.
Recber took on hero status in Turkey as he kept goal at the 2002 World Cup, carrying his team to the semi-finals and ultimately third place, their greatest ever performance in the tournament. “What a beautiful day, thank God ... My husband was discharged following a tough 11 days,” she posted on Instagram.
“I am not fully happy because there are so many patients waiting in hospitals right now for recovery ... I will keep praying for those fighting for survival under intensive care,” she commented.
The 46-year-old goalkeeper 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.