Portugal Colonial - Former England star Gascoigne recovering after collapse at home

Gascoigne was rushed to hospital by his driver and assistant Steve Foster, who found the 58-year-old in a semi-conscious state in his Dorset house.

"Paul is in hospital, which is the best possible place for him to be right now," Foster told The Sun newspaper.

Gascoigne was reportedly admitted to an intensive care ward after being discovered on Friday, but later moved to an acute medical unit, where his condition is said to be stable.

Foster said Gascoigne would "like to thank everyone for the support he's received so far from so many old friends who wish him well and want to see him back to his best."

One of the most naturally gifted footballers of his generation, Gascoigne played for Newcastle, Tottenham, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton.

He was capped 57 times by England, becoming a global star after his brilliant form at the 1990 World Cup in Italy reached a tearful crescendo with his emotional reaction to a yellow card, which would have ruled him out of the final, in a last four loss against West Germany.

Gascoigne also starred for England during their run to the Euro 96 semi-finals, where they again lost to Germany on penalties.

The midfielder's issues with alcohol addiction and depression are well-documented and he has suffered a series of health problems in recent years.

In 2020, Gascoigne said he had turned his life around after having anti-alcohol pellets sewn into his stomach.

But last year, he admitted on the High Performance podcast that he was a "sad drunk" living in a spare room at the home of his agent.

P.Queiroz--PC