The soccer world received a scare when game veteran turned broadcast analyst Shaka Hislop suddenly collapsed on the field during Sunday’s live broadcast taping. The ESPN soccer analyst collapsed almost six minutes before the kickoff to AC Milan’s match with Real Madrid at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on Sunday.
Co-host Dan Thomas spoke during the pre-match segment when abruptly and scarily Hislop stumbled, fell into him, and then onto the ground. Thomas immediately sprang to action, checking on his downed co-host and calling for medical assistance while other on-field staff ran over to help.
Later, Thomas returned to the air to update Hislop’s status and reassure his family members, who most likely saw the shocking fall. Later, Thomas tweeted, “Shaka is conscious. The medics are looking after him.”
Scary Moment
During the match, on-air commentator Adrian Healey also gave an update.
“He has recovered,” “He has recovered,” MLS Season Pass broadcaster on Apple TV Adrian Healey said during the match. “I didn’t see the incident but I’m sure it was an alarming one. We’ve been told in definitive terms that he is OK.”
Then, at halftime, Thomas returned to give the soccer world a massive sigh of relief about Hislop’s status.
“Halftime then here at the Rose Bowl with AC Milan with two and Real Madrid with nil, but things are obviously secondary to what happened ahead of the game,” Thomas began. “My mate Shaka’s not here, but as it stands, it’s good news. He’s conscious. He’s talking.”
“I think he’s a bit embarrassed by it all,” Thomas continued.. “He’s apologized profusely. Not a man who like people to make a fuss of him. Obviously, far too early to make a diagnosis, but the important thing is we’ve talked to his family as well. Fortunately, we’ve talked to his wife and things are looking OK.”
Protect Shaka At All Costs
Neil Shaka Hislop, a Howard University alum, is a current on-air talent, soccer analyst and commentator for ESPN. He holds a mechanical engineering degree and an executive MBA. He played soccer professionally for 15 years, with 14 in England playing for Newcastle United and West Ham United and one year in the US’s Major League Soccer, retiring in 2007 after a season with FC Dallas.
Shaka is a Howard University’s Athletic Hall of Fame inductee and is in Trinidad and Tobago’s Sports Hall of Fame. Shaka also represented Trinidad and Tobago internationally, including the country’s solitary FIFA World Cup appearance in 2006.
In 2005, he joined Brazilian soccer legend Pele as the only other non-British member to receive the English Professional Footballers Association’s ‘Special Merit Award’ for his services to the game of football, becoming a member of their Honor Roll.