Inter Miami forward German Berterame was rushed to the hospital Saturday night after a severe head injury during a match against CF Montreal. The incident occurred in the 70th minute at Saputo Stadium when Berterame and Montreal defender Efrain Morales collided while both players jumped for a header. Morales's contact came from behind, and Berterame landed awkwardly.
Broadcast footage showed Berterame convulsing on the ground after the collision, with training staff immediately attending to him. The match was stopped for approximately ten minutes as medical personnel attended to Berterame before he was placed on a stretcher, taken off the field, and subsequently transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. He had not regained consciousness on the field.
Following the match, Inter Miami manager Guillermo Hoyos stated that Berterame was recovering and was conscious. "His family is aware of everything. They're calm. The most important thing is that he's OK, and right now he is OK," Hoyos said.
"We were alarmed at first because the blow was very strong. On the play, it’s obvious there was an elbow, which is why a penalty was awarded, he fell like dead weight," Hoyos recalled. "I think he might have already been unconscious given the severity of the impact. He took that elbow and hit the ground hard."
The collision resulted in a penalty for Inter Miami, which was converted by teammate Luis Suarez. Suarez later held up Berterame's jersey in honor of the injured player.
Berterame, a Mexico international, has scored seven MLS goals for Inter Miami since joining the club from Monterrey in January. The victory over CF Montreal moved Inter Miami to within two points of league leaders Nashville SC. The team's next match is against the Columbus Crew.
