Soccer is the most attractive contact sport on the planet. While there are several memorable goal scenes in the long history of football, there are also serious injuries that have shocked millions.
Fierce competition for a single ball, passion, and intense physical fighting is essential scenes in a soccer game. However, uncontrolled forces can lead to serious bodily injury. Today we are going to take a look at the 7 footballers who suffered the most serious injuries in history.
Some players have not even played for six months due to injuries. Some players also suffered from the aftermath of injuries for the rest of their careers. Fortunately, most players survived horrific injuries, but the traumatic scene remains in the memory of many. Want to know which player overcame an injury? Then read on!
The most seriously injured player in football history
In football, serious injuries are difficult to prevent. Let’s take a look at some of the most memorable, traumatic, and frequently mentioned injuries in history.
1) Eduardo da Silva (Season 2007/08)
Although many years have passed, the injury scene of Brazilian-born Eduardo da Silva, a naturalized Croatian citizen, still shocks many. The striker Eduardo played for Arsenal in England, but he was also the victim of a number of great tackles.
The incident took place during a match against Birmingham City. In that match, his opponent, Martin Taylor, made an overly harsh tackle with a stud.
As a result, Eduardo suffered a fractured left calf bone.
The injury prevented him from playing for 10 months. A few weeks after the injury, Eduardo told News of the World that he “could have lost his foot.”
However, he continued his career with teams such as Shakhtar Donetsk, Flamengo, Atletico Paranaensi, and Legia Warsaw.
2) Djibril Cisse, who suffered several serious injuries (2004, 2006)
Most people remember Djibril Cisse as a unique player with brilliant football skills, but many have not forgotten that he suffered serious injuries every two years.
The first injury occurred while playing for Liverpool during a match against Blackburn Rovers. James McEbley’s tackle caused him to fracture the shinbone of his left leg.
After that, he suffered a serious injury once again with a tackle by Zheng Zhi in an evaluation match against China in 2006. This time the shinbone and fibula of his right leg were completely broken.
Despite several injuries, Cisse did not give up and Olympique de Marseille, Sunderland, Panathinaikos FC, SS Lazio, Queens Park Rangers FC, FC Cuban Krasnodar, SC Bastia, JS Sao Pierreez, Yves Dong He played as a central striker for Spor FC, and Panathinaikos Chicago.
A leg fracture can affect the calf and fibula, and both bones can be broken at the same time.
3) Rfiinge Hollan, who retired at an early age due to a serious injury (season 2000/01)
Elling Haalan ‘s father, Rfiinge Halan, is one of seven players with the most serious injuries in football history.
As a Manchester City player, he was hit in the knee by Roy Keane during a match against rival Manchester United. The Manchester United captain later admitted it was a deliberate tackle. Alfie Haaland, a native of Norway, suffered a ruptured ligament in his left knee.
Unfortunately, he did not fully recover his skills after four surgeries, so he decided to retire as a player at the young age of 31.
Roy Keane, the captain of the Irish national team, had great skills, but his fiery personality caused friction with many players.
4) Petr Cech (Season 2006-07)
Goalkeepers usually experience a lot of friction in one-on-one matches with field players or corner kicks.
Cech, a longtime Chelsea goalkeeper, suffered a serious injury. He suffered a skull depression after an accidental collision with Stephen Hunt during a Premier League match against Reading.
There are two types of skull fractures: linear fractures and depression fractures. A linear fracture is a condition in which the bone is broken in an elongated shape without serious distortion of the bone. However, since a depression fracture is a depression in the skull, the problem is more complex. After being diagnosed with skull depression, Cech had to go through three months of rehabilitation.
5) Manuel Pablo Garcia (season 2001-02)
Manuel Pablo, who played in the Spanish league, could not avoid injury. He played as a right-back defender for Deportivo La Coruna throughout his career.
However, he faced a back tackle in 2001 against Giovanella during a match against Celta Vigo.
Many fans were shocked when news came out that he had broken his right shinbone and fibula.
At the same time, Giovanella, who tried to tackle, burst into tears and said, ‘I want to ask him for forgiveness. I had no intention of hurting him. He said, ‘I feel like I’m going to hit it all on behalf of him.’
Eventually, Pablo was able to return to the field after nine months of rehabilitation.
6) Michael Krondelli (Season 2015/16)
Michael Krondelli, who played for Sevilla, shocked both his teammates and the opposing team at the time when he suffered a torn and fractured lower part of his left kneecap in the first leg of the Europa League semi-final match. An unnatural distortion of his joints was the cause of his injuries.
After undergoing surgery, Michael went through nine months of rehabilitation, but he was not able to show off his skills as before. He moved to Deportivo La Coruña as a free transfer player, but eventually put an end to his playing career in 2019.
7) David Burst (1995-96 season)
The last and worst case of injury to be presented has to go back to 1996. As a defender for Coventry City, David collided with two players, Dennis Ewen and Brian McClair. The terrible collision broke both his right shin and fibula.
After an injury, he developed a staphylococcal infection and eventually announced his retirement. He even had to undergo 26 surgeries.
Osteomyelitis is a problem of overgrowth of bacteria in bone tissue and is a complication of fractures.
Not all 7 players have suffered serious injuries
Some players who suffered major injuries were able to continue playing, but the psychological impact lingered long after recovery.
Finally, here are the players who had to end their careers due to injuries.
- Marco van Baston
- Just Fontaine
- Wooli Hoeness
- Fernando Redondo
- Sebastian Dysler
The football world is preparing a system to reduce the risk of serious injuries during football matches, a contact sport. But for now, it’s true that physical uncertainty contributes to the emotional excitement football fans crave.
