Sergio Busquets collapsed onto the pitch with his face in his hands after accidentally charging into “stonewall” Leon Goretzka during Spain’s World Cup clash with Germany.
Spain took control of the Group E clash in the second half after substitute Alvaro Morata connected with Jordi Alba’s cross and his near-post flick beat Manuel Neuer.
However, a resilient Germany fought back as substitute Niclas Fullkrug lashed a brilliant strike past Spain No 1 Unai Simon to pull his side level in the 83rd minute.
Fullkrug’s important equaliser ensured Germany secured a vital point on Sunday, with Hansi Flick’s men still on the verge of crashing out of the World Cup.
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Germany, who suffered a shock 2-1 defeat to Japan in their Group E opener, must beat Costa Rica on Thursday and hope Spain defeat Japan on the same day.
Spain, meanwhile, need to secure at least a point from their match with Japan to progress to the knockout stages of the competition in Qatar.
During Spain’s 1-1 draw with Germany, fans hilariously spotted the moment when Busquets was sent crashing to the floor of the pitch during a collision with Goretzka.
Spain and Barcelona captain Busquets could be seen trying to mark Antonio Rudiger during an injury-time corner before the Real Madrid man escaped his marker.
However, Busquets’ scrambling efforts to lock Rudiger back down were thwarted when he flung himself directly into the path of Goretzka.
“He’s not even looking at him,” one fan posted in response to the footage.
While another fan simply tweeted: “Wallretzka.”
And a third fan suggested: “Rudiger tricked him.”
“Top moment of the match,” someone else said.
A fifth Twitter user wrote: “As an ex-basketball player, I applaud Gore [Goretzka] for his block. Absolute beast.”
Spain manager Luis Enrique paid tribute to his late daughter Xana Martinez, who would have turned 13 on Sunday, after she died from a rare form of bone cancer.
Speaking after the match, he said: “It was a special day for me and my family.
“Obviously, we don’t have our daughter with us physically anymore, but she is still present every day.
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“We remember her a lot, we laugh and think about how she would act in each situation that we experience.”
Enrique added: “This is how life works.
“It’s not only about beautiful things and finding happiness, it’s about knowing how to manage these moments.”
Topics: Sergio Busquets, Spain, Germany, Football World Cup, Football
Adnan Riaz