Ever imagined what could possibly be the worst or most horrific football injuries of all time?
Throughout the history of soccer, there have been many really bad injuries that were quite scary. Some of these happened during regular plays, while others seemed like strange coincidences that gave us goosebumps.
Soccer is a beautiful game, but injuries are part of it, and they can sometimes make it less beautiful. It’s a risk that comes with playing, no matter how much we love the sport.
Soccer is the most-watched and followed sport globally, and players become famous and rich. But they also face physical demands and strict rules that they may want to avoid, but they can’t because it’s part of the game they love.
Over the years, many players have suffered terrible injuries that were heartbreaking and horrifying.
Some of them bravely worked hard to recover and come back to play again. But unfortunately, for others, injuries ruined their dreams of having a successful soccer career.
But there are also incredible stories of players who didn’t let their injuries stop them. They showed amazing strength and came back to the game they loved.
In this article, we will look back at some of the most shocking and unforgettable injuries in soccer history.
The article was first published on Jan 11, 2021, and updated on August 04, 2023
- Most Horrific Soccer / Football Injuries
- Andrea Gomes – (Everton)
- Ryan Mason – (Retired)
- Luke Shaw – (Manchester United)
- Aaron Ramsey – (Juventus)
- Marcin Wasilewski – (Wisla Krakow)
- Eduardo Da Silva – (Retired)
- Inigo Diaz De Cerio – (Retired)
- Kieron Dyer – (Ipswich’s Manager)
- Petr Cech – (Chelsea’s Goalkeeper Trainer)
- Djibril Cisse – (Retired)
Most Horrific Soccer / Football Injuries
Andrea Gomes – (Everton)
The Portuguese international suffered a horrific fracture-dislocation on his right ankle in 2019, during a clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Goodison Park.
Gomes was involved in a tackle from behind by Son Heung-Min, before a collision with Serge Aurier which led to a horrifying scene that put the footballing world in distress and sober mood.
Gomes’s injury was so bad that the players on the pitch couldn’t look at it and left them in tears, as the Portuguese midfielder was taken off the field in serious pain.
A day after the horrific injury, the club issued a statement saying that they’re confident the midfielder would make a full recovery, following surgery on his ankle.
As Gomes was been taken off the pitch, the question that would be going through the mind of some Everton faithful and Portuguese fans is how long would the injury last, or when would Gomes recover from the injury.
In the case of such an injury to a player, the healing process of the injury takes nothing less than six months or a year before the player gets back to full fitness which is expected due to the severity of the injury.
Ryan Mason – (Retired)
Mason is one of the few soccer stars that weren’t lucky enough to return to the field of play after his head injury in 2017 due to the risk associated with the injury.
The former Hull City midfielder was forced to retire from the game, having taken medical advice.
Mason suffered a fractured skull to his head that required swift surgery after clashing his head with Chelsea’s former center-back Gary Cahill.
After the clash of heads between both players, the midfielder undergoes successful surgery on his head and thereafter went through a rehabilitation process for the rest of the season in an attempt to return to the pitch which couldn’t happen as he went into coaching.
Luke Shaw – (Manchester United)
With less than nine months to the Euro Nations Cup in 2016, Shaw suffered a broken tibia and fibula to his right leg in United’s 2-1 Champions League loss at PSV Eindhoven, following Hector Moreno’s tackle which was termed a very bad tackle by then manager Louis Van Gaal.
The perpetrator on the day Moreno escaped been booked by the referee Nicola Rizzoli, Shaw with oxygen in his mouth in other to aid his breathing before he was stretched off the pitch.
Thereafter the Mexican extended a message of support to the left-back and wished him to get well soon, saying he knows how he feels that he’s been there before as a victim.
As a result of the fracture of the leg in two places, the former Southampton star missed the entire campaign trying to get back to fitness through rehabilitation.
Aaron Ramsey – (Juventus)
The year 2010 is one sad and unpleasant year for the Wales international and wouldn’t forget it in a hurry.
Against Stoke City Ramsey suffered what looked like a career-threatening injury, when he was faced with a horrible tackle from Ryan Shawcross that led to a double fracture to his right leg.
Ramsey’s injury was so shocking that even the Gunners fans couldn’t remember the team’s victory on that sad day.
The perpetrator (Shawcross) was left in tears and was immediately sent off with a red card, even though the damage has already been done in what cumulated into a nine months layoff to the Wales international.
Just like many who have been able to surmount such injuries and come back stronger, all thanks to swift and professional surgery, top-notch medications, and a world-class rehabilitation program.
In that sense, Ramsey was also in that class, as he went on to play top-flight football thereafter with Arsenal before moving to Juventus.
Marcin Wasilewski – (Wisla Krakow)
The Pole and Krakow defender was also one of the unfortunate players that suffered a career-threatening injury while playing the beautiful game.
In 2009, Wasilewski suffered a horrible open leg fracture in the Belgian Jupiler League, in a match between two of the most famous clubs in the land Anderlecht and Standard Liege.
The unpalatable event happened in the 26th minute of the match when Belgium international Axel Witsel made a challenge on Wasilewski’s with his studs directly planted on his leg.
The injury left the Pole screaming in pain on the pitch with his leg dangling, as Witsel was sent off with a red card, thereafter he was suspended for eight games by the FA over the incident.
After the injury, Wasilewski underwent corrective surgery to his open fractures of both the tibia and fibula, which took him away from the game for a long time.
However, following a long rehabilitation, he finally made his return in 2010 and thereafter celebrated his comeback with a goal against Zulte Waregem.
Eduardo Da Silva – (Retired)
When talking about one of the most horrific football injuries, Eduardo’s will always be remembered.
The former Arsenal suffered a broken left fibula and an open dislocation of his left ankle, through a tackle by Birmingham City’s Martin Taylor in a match between Arsenal and Birmingham.
The tackle from Taylor was an unpleasant one, which ended in an unpalatable situation for the Croatian.
Immediately after the gruesome injury, Eduardo was taken to Selly Oak Hospital, with only former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva being the only person present at the hospital to help translate the communication between the doctors and Eduardo.
Following the success of his surgery, his recovery process took almost a year before the Croatian could return to full fitness.
Le Professor initially called for a lifetime ban for Taylor, he, however, retracted his comments later as Eduardo returned to playing football again for the Gunners before he later moved to Shakhtar Donetsk.
Inigo Diaz De Cerio – (Retired)
The retired Spaniard was also involved in a serious injury following a collision with Ember’s player Zigor, fracturing the tibia and fibula of his right leg that almost put an end to his football career.
Inigo Diaz’s football career has been rescued all thanks to a successful surgery by the club’s medical staff.
His recovery just like other players took him a year before he returned to full fitness in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League against C.D. Nacional of Portugal.
A year after his injury, Diaz switched clubs to a new Basque side in Athletic Bilbao in 2009, on a four-year contract after his deal with Real Sociedad expired.
Diaz returned to action almost one year after his injury and subsequently went on to play for Cordoba, Numancia, and Mirandes towards the end of his football career.
Kieron Dyer – (Ipswich’s Manager)
Of all of the teams the former England midfielder has donned their shirt during his football career, the London side West Ham is perhaps the club he wouldn’t forget.
After completing a four-year deal move to West Ham for £6 million, he made his debut in an away win against Birmingham City and after that match, Dyer’s time at the Boleyn Ground was marred with injuries.
Luck wasn’t really on the side of the former midfielder at West Ham, as an unpleasant injury befell him which resulted in him being stretched off the pitch, following a tackle from Joe Jacobson of Bristol Rovers in a league cup match, just ten days after his debut.
Jacobson’s tackle resulted in Dyer’s leg being broken in two places, and he ended up missing the rest of the campaign.
While going through his healing and rehabilitation process, there were speculations that the injury might be the end of his career, however, Dyer was able to surmount those torrid times and went on to play football again.
Petr Cech – (Chelsea’s Goalkeeper Trainer)
Cech doesn’t just turn popular with his goalkeeping helmet on a night, that was made possible due to a head injury he picked up following a collision with Reading’s midfielder Stephen Hunt.
The former Chelsea goalkeeper case is a testament to the fact that not only the outfield players are at risk of involving in a career-threatening injury.
The event happened at the Madejski Stadium in 2006, On a dark day the goalkeeper almost lost his life on the pitch while playing a beautiful game.
Amid fears of the blood clot he suffered on the head, Cech was rushed to the hospital where he underwent emergency surgery for a depressed fracture of the skull.
After a successful surgery, it was reported that the goalkeeper would be out for at least a year, surprisingly Cech made a quick return to the team just three months later.
His return to the pitch was aided with a protective rugby-look-like helmet, meant to protect his weakened skull caused by Hunt’s collision and he went to used it till he retired as a professional goalkeeper.
Djibril Cisse – (Retired)
The former Liverpool forward is perhaps the only player, that could be said to have been unfortunate with injuries especially a horrific one like a broken leg twice.
The first unpleasant injury he suffered was in 2004 while playing for his new club, the second horrifying injury happened in 2006 while playing for Les Blues against China.
Cisse could have lost his leg following a horrific injury playing Liverpool in 2004 if it wasn’t for the swift actions of the club’s medical team.
The first leg double fracture happened against Blackburn after his boot got caught up in the turf which resulted in a fractured leg.
Two years after the Blackburn horror, in France’s final warm-up match against China in 2006, Cisse suffered yet another broken leg just ten minutes into the game having been knocked off balance by China’s captain Zheng Zhi, before falling awkwardly with his leg dangling underneath him.
Cisse missed the 2006 World Cup due to the injury, but within six months he was back on his feet due to his remarkable zeal, strength, and passion for the beautiful game.
Worst Soccer Injuries
- Raul Jimenez’s Injury – (2020, Skull Fracture)
- Dave Busst
- Luciano Almeida’s Injury – (2007, Broken Leg)
- Alan Smith’s Injury – (2006, Broken Leg)
- Jacob Olsen’s Injury – (2006, Dislocation Of Left Ankle)
- Henrik Larsson’s Injury – (1991, Broken Leg In Two Places)
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