Absolutely brutal soccer kick sends Belgian player out on a stretcher (video)

Many in the U.S. don’t like soccer because they think it’s boring, but I’ve always avoided playing it for a different reason. That came in high school, when I was kicked in an unprotected shin during a PE soccer game. That was painful enough: I couldn’t imagine being kicked in the head, and by a pro no less. Recently in the Belgian League playoffs, Mehdi Carcela of Standard Liege was booted in the head by Genk defender Chris Mavinga, a flying kick that resulted in Carcela getting knocked out and removed on a stretcher.

Check out the video below. It looks inadvertent to me, but like I mentioned, I’m no soccer expert.

From the Associated Press:

“He has a serious concussion, fractures in the face and broken teeth,” said the club in a statement, adding it was still unclear how long he would have to be hospitalized.

“He already has his good humour back and his biggest regret now is to have missed the title.”

Yikes.

And so you see why I gave up on my high school soccer career to concentrate on a much safer sport: rugby.

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Standard midfielder Mehdi Carcela in hospital after kick to head in Belgian league decider [Associated Press]