Fiorentina's Bove praises soccer's community spirit as recovery progresses

Fiorentina midfielder Edoardo Bove spoke on Monday of how the true spirit of football gave him strength following his recent collapse on the pitch, in his first public statement since the incident.

Bove collapsed during Fiorentina's game with Inter Milan on Dec. 1 leading to the abandonment of the match, and after surgery to implant a removable heart starter device, the Italian was discharged from hospital on Friday.

The 22-year-old Bove made a visit to Fiorentina's training centre the day after his release, greeted with warm applause by his teammates, and has now opened up on the impact the incident has had.

"The unpleasant episode that took place during Fiorentina-Inter showed me, even more than I thought, that football is much more than a match, a championship, or a career," Bove said in a post on social media platform Instagram.

"Football is a community of people, linked by the same passion, who share moments of joy, emotion, anger, disappointment and suffering.

"It is precisely in these moments that I realise how genuine this sport is, how, beyond results, competition or rivalry, we are all united."

In a sport typically marked by division, Bove's collapse brought the Italian football community together, and the player received messages from across the globe during his time in hospital.

"The affection I received, the warmth of the fans, the support from teammates and opponents, the closeness of the WHOLE world of football was something that gave me strength and an incredible courage," Bove said.

"I felt surrounded by a positive energy that allowed me to remain calm, not to feel the loneliness that is often present in this type of difficulty.

"For this reason, I would like us all to commit ourselves not to forget the true