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A German footballer defied all the odds to score the winning goal in his team's match - 17 months on from being the verge of death after suffering a heart attack.

Daniel Engelbrecht had been out of action for a year after requiring four operations as a result of his heart attack.

The 24-year-old made his return to Germany's 3. Liga for Stuttgart Kickers in November and bagged his first goal since his return in the last minute against Wehen on Saturday, securing a dramatic 2-1 win, after coming off the bench in the 83rd minute.

Even more remarkable when you consider that he was wearing a defibrillator - the first German professional footballer ever to play with one.

(Image: Pressefoto Baumann)

The scenes completely contrasted those of the first game of the 2013/14 season against Erfurt, where Engelbrecht collapsed after losing conciousness in an incident similar to the famed one of Fabrice Muamba.

He was revived at the scene by medics, who later found that he has suffered inflammation of the heart muscle and an abnormal heart rhythm.

And he as that determined to not only beat his drama, but return to playing, that he became the first German player to feature on the pitch while wearing a defibrillator, which monitors his heart beat and detects any abnormality.

(Image: Pressefoto Baumann)

He burst into tears when embraced by his team-mates following the goal, revealing a shirt that read: 'Nothing is impossible'.

"The goal was an incredible moment," Engelbrecht said afterwards.

Trainer, Horst Steffen added: "It was a very emotional moment for all of us."

The celebrations earned him a yellow card, but no doubt he will say it was well worth it, after rejecting doctors orders that he should not play football again. He previously described the year leading up to the goal as the worst of his life.

MORE: Fabrice Muamba refuses to watch himself collapse more than once