The Biggest Physical Challenges Football Players Faced
Football is more than a sport; it has become a massive industry with massive financial income.
Nowadays, football clubs are more like big companies that seek to promote their brand names and make a financial profit through winning national and international competitions and tournaments. To achieve that, football players should do their best on the pitch to win those precious three points.
With the tight match schedules and the high intensity of some matches, players have injuries that might put their entire careers in jeopardy.
In this article, we are going to talk about injuries that have threatened or ended the careers of famous players.
Petr Cech
Chelsea’s prolific goalkeeper, with his famous head guard, is considered one of the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history. On October 14th, 2006, Cech suffered from a severe skull fracture injury that almost claimed his life.
After achieving great success with his team Chelsea, his inspiring comeback is worth telling.
Xavi Hernandez
The current Barcelona coach and former Spanish national team footballer is well known for his stunning performances as a midfielder with his team, Barcelona. He was recognised as the best in the world even after a horrible anterior cruciate ligament tear in his left knee (ACL). This kind of injury is considered a nightmare for footballers, but Xavi was able to make a great comeback after the injury.
Luke Shaw
All the loyal Manchester United fans remember the horror of watching Shaw’s double leg break injury during the Champions League match with PSV Eindhoven in 2015. No one expected Shaw to be able to play again, but the footballer made one of the most heroic comebacks from injury, and he has continued to perform well for his team.
Francesco Totti
King Totti, as his fans love to call him, is one of the most famous Italian players. The AC Roma player is well known for his magical passes and creative moves on the pitch. He suffered from a severe fracture in his left fibula that threatened his career before the FIFA World Cup of 2006. The former Italian national did his best to recover and join the Azzurri team and won the most precious title.
Virgil van Dijk
With his 193 cm height and gigantic body shape, Liverpool’s defender is the strikers’ worst nightmare. The Dutch player was living his best days before suffering a serious (ACL) injury during his team’s match with Everton. He needed surgery and almost 12 months to recover and play again with his team. Van Dijk is a vital part of the Liverpool squad and achieved a great performance with his teammates.
Zlatan Ibrahimović
Who doesn’t know Zlatan? Among the other top players, with his charismatic personality and sarcastic, smart comments, Zlatan is our favourite player inside or outside the pitch. The controversial footballer is the sports betting gamblers’ favourite choice; he never puts the online gamblers who bet on him down. Among many offers for football fans, individual bets you make on Zlatan will never let you down.
The 41-year-old AC Milan footballer has returned from a critical cruciate ligament injury at the age of 35 that might push any other player to retire. As we all know, Zlatan is still Zlatan; the Swedish player made a dramatic comeback and has put in incredible performances since then.
Alf-Inge Haaland
A loyal football fan would recognise this prolific Manchester City footballer and his incident with Man United’s famous player, Roy Keane. Haaland has suffered a severe injury after Keane violently kicked his right knee during the Manchester derby match. The Norwegian player suffered from his injury until he retired from its complications.
Conclusion
Injuries are not only the football players’ worst rivals; they are our worst nightmares as fans as well. We all feel bad when our favourite player suffers from a serious injury. Unfortunately, football enjoyment comes with a price. We pray for all sports players to stay safe and healthy to enjoy their performances and achievements.
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