Bolton player Fabrice Muamba lies prone on the pitch after collapsing before halftime during the English FA Cup quarterfinal away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
(CNN) -- Fabrice Muamba's fellow footballers rallied around the Bolton player after he was admitted to hospital following a possible heart attack during a match on Saturday.
The midfielder was in critical condition in intensive care, the English Premier League club confirmed.
He collapsed for no apparent reason four minutes before halftime in the FA Cup quarterfinal at Tottenham in London, and the match was abandoned.
"Come on Fabrice Muamba, praying for you," Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand wrote on Twitter.
Ferdinand's clubmate and fellow England international Wayne Rooney added: "Hope fabrice muamba is ok. Praying for him and his family. Still in shock."
Muamba collapses; reaction from stadium
Muamba in hospital's heart attack center after collapse
Arsenal's England midfielder Jack Wilshere played with the 23-year-old while on loan at Bolton during the 2009-10 season.
"Hope Muamba is okay. Thoughts with him," the 20-year-old tweeted.
Muamba began his career at Arsenal, where he came through the youth ranks with defender Justin Hoyte, who now plays for second division club Middlesbrough.
"I seriously hope my best friend in football is OK. Stay strong bro please please stay strong. God is with you remember that," tweeted Hoyte, who like Muamba has represented England at under-21 level.
Muamba was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, then known as Zaire, and came to England in 1999 at the age of 11 after being granted political asylum.
He told the UK's Daily Mail newspaper in 2008 that his family had fled due to his father's previous position working for the overthrown regime of ex-president Mobutu Sese Seko,
"It was very, very tough," Muamba said. "I saw the war. I saw people die. I grew up with it. It was scary.
"I didn't live far from the gunshots and the sound of them going off. It was difficult to get used to, especially hearing guns at night. It did have an effect on me.
"It stopped us going out to play football because we were scared we would get killed. One or two of my friends were hurt, one or two of them have since died."
Muamba is said to be deeply religious, the UK Press Association reported.
"Fabrice is an extremely strong believer in God and says that he is the reason for everything he has done and accomplished," according to his profile in a match-day booklet.
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Players from both teams, as well as Bolton manager Owen Coyle, far right, watch as the England under-21 international is treated by medics.
Tottenham's Rafael Van der Vaart was one of many players who offered their support for Muamba via micro-blogging website Twitter.
The 23-year-old was carried off the pitch at White Hart Lane and taken to a hospital in London. The game was abandoned.
Muamba has been at the Premier League club since 2008, when he signed in an $8 million transfer from English rivals Birmingham.
Muamba made his name at Birmingham City, where he made a permanent move in 2007 after impressing while on loan from English Premier League club Arsenal.
Muamba came to England in 1999 after his family left his homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo. He represented his adopted country at under-21 level at the 2009 European Championship.
Muamba had limited first-team opportunities at Arsenal, but appeared in a League Cup match against Reading in November 2005.
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