Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba cheered his legions of wellwishers on Friday after releasing a smiling photograph of himself on Twitter.

In the first image of Muamba since he was taken off the pitch at Tottenham two weeks ago on a stretcher following a massive heart attack, the former England under-21 international is sitting up in his hospital bed beaming a smile.

“Fab wanted me to post this pic for you all and to also say thank you for such overwhelming support,” an accompanying message said.

The photo shows the usually clean-shaven Bolton player bearded but apparently fully dressed and seated with a pillow for support.

Muamba, who was regarded as “effectively dead” after his heart stopped beating for 78 minutes, is making a slow recovery at the London Chest Hospital.

He left his bed and began eating again this week.

Andrew Deaner, the cardiologist who left his seat among supporters at White Hart Lane to help medics treat Muamba, has called the midfielder’s surprisingly strong recovery “miraculous”.

Even so, his father and fiancee released a statement last week saying he faces a long recovery and it is still unclear whether he will be able to play professionally again.

The quarter-final was abandoned just before halftime and replayed this week, with Tottenham progressing 3-1.

Players across Europe have worn T-shirts expressing their support for Muamba.

European champions Barcelona were among the sympathetic clubs, while FIFA President Sepp Blatter has spoken with Bolton’s chairman and asked to be kept informed of Muamba’s progress.

The cause of the cardiac arrest has not been discovered. Doctors said Muamba underwent a routine screening for heart defects in August. He was checked again in the hospital and the test produced a normal result.