Injuries are a part of football. Players get an injury or two now and then, and it’s not a huge problem as long as the output is not getting severely hammered.
But, when an injury becomes an identity for a player so much so that it becomes a destructive pattern that hampers the end product, we call that player an injury-prone footballer.
This can happen to even the greatest of players, due to which their career might be cut short or their productivity suffers.
After a serious injury, there is a chance that a great talent might only become a shadow version of themselves. They simply are not the same person anymore.
So, we thought why not discuss a few of the most talented injury-prone players in the recent history of football!
The “what ifs” and “might have been” of football, restricted to only our imagination, thanks to their injury problems.
Daniel Sturridge
He played for Manchester City, Chelsea, Bolton Wanderers, Liverpool, and West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League. He is one of the most wounded football players in history.
Despite his talents, Sturridge can’t seem to overcome the injury curse that has limited his playing time.
The striker has had a bad luck with injuries over the years, being one of the most injury-prone footballers ever, requiring treatment 48 times, 31 of which have occurred since joining Liverpool in 2013.
Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale would undoubtedly top any list of the most injury-prone footballers ever. in 2019, in Madrid, he had sustained a total of 25 injuries – one more than in his six-year stint at Tottenham.
He, too, had a slew of issues at Spurs; in fact, in addition to his 24 injuries, he also had three sickness spells and only appeared in 203 of the Premier League club’s 323 games.
Marco Reus
He did not compete in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which Germany won, although he did compete in the 2012 UEFA Euro and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Aside from his left ankle being injured by injuries, another recurring problem he suffered was a cruciate ligament tear in 2017.
In addition, the often-complex groin issues have also weighed down his career in Dortmund.
When fit Marco Reus is one of the best midfielders in the game, his vision, passing, and overall understanding of the game are second to none, but injuries have always been his biggest nemesis throughout his career.
Ronaldo Nazario
Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the best strikers of his generation. But he ripped both kneel in horrific injuries. Since then, he was never the same player.
However, before his injury, Ronaldo was unstoppable.
“His pre-injury years were outrageously good; at 21 years old, he was already the best player in the world, breaking the world transfer record twice.” Before turning 21, he scored 44 goals in 47 games for Cruzeiro, 54 goals in 57 games for PSV, and 47 goals in 49 games for Barcelona.”
Michael Owen
When Owen was younger, he had the entire world at his feet.
He scored 158 goals for Liverpool before joining Real Madrid in 2004. He’d already won the Premier League Golden Boot (twice) as a teenager. Furthermore, by the age of 21, Owen had already won the Ballon d’Or. He was that talented!
Unfortunately, a string of injuries derailed his career. According to the BBC, Owen despised playing football at one point due to injuries.
Imagine what kind of career Owen would have had if he hadn’t been for his injuries.
