Story perspectives

Musiala’s absence seizures delay Bayern’s Super Cup, opener

8/19/2026

Summary

Musiala Collapses Again

Jamal Musiala collapsed again after entering as a substitute in Bayern Munich’s 4-2 friendly win over FC Heidenheim on Tuesday.
He previously fell during Bayern’s 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig on August 18 and was diagnosed with a neurological dysfunction causing absence seizures.
Bayern said the seizures do not threaten his career, leaving his availability for the German Super Cup and the Bundesliga opener on August 28 uncertain.

Summary

Musiala Heat Seizure

Musiala collapsed twice in temperatures above 30 °C, prompting concerns that heat aggravated his seizures.
Medical commentators liken his case to Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen’s 2022 cardiac arrest, which required intensive monitoring and an implantable defibrillator.
The events are being used to test current sports-medicine protocols for detecting and managing brief absence seizures in elite athletes.

History

Historical Context

On 26 June 2003, Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foé collapsed in the 72nd minute of the Confederations Cup semi-final against Colombia and died after 45 minutes of on-field resuscitation, later attributed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. His death shocked FIFA and prompted worldwide reforms in football medical protocols, including mandatory cardiac screening and emergency response standards that continue to shape safety measures in European clubs today.

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Musiala Collapses Again

Jamal Musiala collapsed again after entering as a substitute in Bayern Munich’s 4-2 friendly win over FC Heidenheim on Tuesday.
He previously fell during Bayern’s 3-1 victory over RB Leipzig on August 18 and was diagnosed with a neurological dysfunction causing absence seizures.
Bayern said the seizures do not threaten his career, leaving his availability for the German Super Cup and the Bundesliga opener on August 28 uncertain.

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