Former Japan international Naoki Matsuda remains in critical condition Wednesday, one day after suffering cardiopulmonary arrest during training.
The 2002 World Cup defender collapsed Tuesday after finishing a practice run with Japan Football League club Matsumoto Yamaga and was rushed to the hospital.
Matsumoto manager Yoshiyuki Kato told a news conference Wednesday there was no change in Matsuda's condition and said the situation was still "extremely severe," adding many Matsumoto fans had sent messages praying for his recovery.
The 34-year-old Matsuda, who is suspected of having suffered a heat stroke after the practice session, which began at 9:30 a.m., was unconscious on his arrival to the hospital and showed no response to a heart massage.
Matsuda has been capped 40 times for Japan. He played a total of 385 J. League games for Yokohama F. Marinos from 1995 to 2010.
No surgery for Nagatomo
Inter Milan defender Yuto Nagatomo on Wednesday decided not to have surgery on a dislocated right shoulder sustained in Inter's preseason friendly against Celtic last weekend, and will return to Italy to undergo rehabilitation under Milan's team doctor.
Nagatomo underwent tests at a hospital in Hiroshima on the injury that has ruled him out of Japan's Aug. 10 friendly against South Korea.
The 24-year-old, who also dislocated the same shoulder in 2009, spoke at length about treatment with doctor Yu Mochizuki, who also serves as the team doctor for Japanese baseball's Hiroshima Carp.
Nagatomo injured the shoulder early in Saturday's game in Dublin, which Inter won 2-0.
