The former All Whites striker and Oceania player of the century Wynton Rufer is out of a coma and recovering after suffering a heart attack in Auckland on Sunday.
The 56-year-old told Rufer told German website Deichstube was out of intensive care and expecting to make a full recovery.
1News has reported that he had been riding a Lime scooter at the time of the incident.
Wynton Rufer and former All Whites coach John Adshead. Photo: Photosport
Florian Wellman a friend of Rufer's who was with him at the time of the incident said "this is a miracle from heaven."
"It was so close," he said.
Wellman said the pair had been to a Breakers basketball game and were returning home when Rufer collapsed.
Rufer played 23 times for New Zealand, including at the 1982 World Cup, and was a star in European club football in both Switzerland and Germany in the 1980s and 90s.
He was named FIFA's Oceania footballer of the 20th century.