Even after taking a hard blow to the head that left him motionless on the pitch, Uruguay midfielder Alvaro Pereira insisted on staying in the game for his team's World Cup game against England.
Pereira collided with England's Raheem Sterling in the 61st minute of Uruguay's 2-1 victory Thursday. As he slid for a ball just outside Uruguay's penalty area, Pereira was inadvertently struck on the temple by Sterling's left knee.
"After the hit, I only recall that I was unconscious for an instant," he said. "It was like the lights went out a little bit."
Pereira lay motionless on the ground for a few moments as teammates surrounded him and then signaled for a stretcher. Captain Diego Godin worriedly rubbed his chest.
The team's medical staff came onto the field to aid him and after Pereira wobbled to the sideline, Uruguay team physician Dr. Alberto Pan signaled with his hands for a substitution.
Pereira, who seemed to be having trouble maintaining his balance, argued and angrily wagged a finger on his left hand to signal he didn't want to be substituted.
Even though he appeared like a punch-drunk boxer, Pereira ultimately was allowed to return to the pitch in the 63rd minute.
"I said sorry a thousand times to the doctor because I was dizzy. It was that moment your adrenaline flowing in your body, maybe without thinking ... What I really wanted to do was to help get the result," the 28-year-old Sao Paulo FC player recalled.
"What really matters is that everything is OK. Nothing happened. It was just a scare".
