Return to the pitch after more than a year! Edoardo Bove plays first match after cardiac arrest

Yesterday, February 14, the Championship saw an astonishing comeback by a footballer.

Details: Italian midfielder Edoardo Bove returned to football, making his debut for English side Watford. This was his first appearance in an official match since the horrific incident back in February 2025.

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Recall that 12 months ago, 22-year-old Bove, then playing for Fiorentina, collapsed during a match against Inter. He suffered a cardiac arrest, resulting in the game being suspended. After his recovery, Edoardo was fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)—a device that Italian football regulations prohibit players from using on the field.

In January, Bove moved to England as a free agent, where medical regulations allow players to compete with such devices. The long-awaited debut came on Saturday: the midfielder came on as a substitute in the 86th minute of the Championship match against Preston (2-2).

Note: Fiorentina could become Roberto De Zerbi's next club.