(CNN) -- Sepp Blatter, president of football's world governing body FIFA, has described Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba's recovery from a cardiac arrest as "a miracle".
Muamba collapsed during Bolton's FA Cup match at Tottenham on Saturday, with his heart stopping for 78 minutes before he was revived by medical staff at the London Chest Hospital.
And Blatter, speaking at a UEFA congress in Istanbul, Turkey, has revealed he has also spoken to Bolton chairman Phil Gartside following Muamba's collapse.
Blatter said: "It's a miracle. When I saw it on the television, it was terrible. I had a phonecall from Phil Gartside, the chairman of Bolton, and I have to say it was a very emotional call.
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Fabrice Muamba collapsed during an English soccer match between his club Bolton and Tottenham on Saturday, and is in the intensive care unit of a London heart hospital.
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"He spoke about a miracle and I spoke about a miracle. I am a deeply faithful man, a religious man, and I believe there is something more than just playing the game. There is somebody who looks after us," continued Blatter.
Blatter was present when Cameroon's Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed and died during a Confederations Cup match in France in 2003, and accompanied the player's body back to his homeland.
And, following Foe's death, Blatter was instrumental in urging clubs to regularly carry out cardiac screenings for all their players.
Blatter added: "Muamba had a heart screening last year and it should be done for everyone, in repetition, but especially for those in competition in football or other sports."
Muamba, 23, remains in intensive care but is showing improvement day by day and has been able to speak to visiting family and friends.
And Dr Sam Mohiddin, the consultant cardiologist treating Muamba, told reporters: "Fabrice continues to demonstrate positive signs of recovery and has exceeded our expectations and hopes."
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Bolton announced Thursday they will fulfill their Premier League fixture with local rivals Blackburn on Saturday after postponing the midweek clash with Aston Villa. Before Blackburn's win over Sunderland on Wednesday their players offered messages of support for Muamba.
Bolton Wanderers fans have left flowers and scarves outside the English club's Reebok Stadium in support of Muamba, while most of the playing squad have been to visit him in the London Chest Hospital.
Muamba's former teammate Gary Cahill, who left Bolton to join Chelsea in January, revealed a t-shirt honoring his ex-colleague after scoring against Leicester City on Sunday.
Fans at Liverpool's FA Cup quarterfinal against Stoke City send their best wishes to Muamba. Supporters also chanted his name at various points during Sunday's Anfield match.
Bolton manager Owen Coyle (left) and chairman Phil Gartside outside the London Chest Hospital where Muamba is being treated.
While Muamba made it to the hospital alive, Cameroon's Marc-Vivien Foe could not be revived after falling to the pitch during a Confederations Cup semifinal against Colombia in 2003.
Spanish football has been hit by two such tragedies in recent times. In August 2009, Espanyol skipper Daniel Jarque died after suffering a heart attack while at a preseason training camp in Italy.
Two years earlier, Sevilla's Antonio Puerta died in hospital after suffering a heart attack during a Spanish league match against Getafe. The prolonged cardiac arrest damaged his organs and led to a lack of oxygen to the brain.
In 2002, St. Louis Cardinals baseball pitcher Darryl Kile was found dead in his hotel bed, having failed to turn up for pregame warm-ups following a heart attack.
Another former NBA star, Arvydas Sabonis, survived a heart attack while in a game in his native Lithuania in 2011 at the age of 46.
In the NFL, former Tampa Bay and Chicago Bears defensive end Gaines Adams was found dead at home in 2010, with the coroner ruling it was due to cardiomyopathy.
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