10 greatest comebacks made by footballers

“And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.” These words from Thomas Wayne would go on to serve as the biggest piece of motivation for his son Bruce Wayne, as he turned himself around and became the “man” that Gotham needed. There I was was sitting laid back in my theatre seat when I heard these words. In years to come, the lines that would etch out its own niche in the conscience of not only mine but also significant others.While Gotham found a superhero in Batman, the world of football has given us superheroes of our own. These gladiators never knew when they were beaten. For them quitting was always too early, if of course they knew the word. Whether it was life threatening diseases, career ending injuries or significant bans causing uproar in the world of football, there have been people who have always picked themselves up and prepared for one last push.Today we check upon ten of the greatest comebacks that footballers have made in the modern era.

#1 Jonas Gutierez

The Argentine international was diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2013. The classless Newcastle management had already told the Argentine to find a new home after having spent the latter part of the 2013/14 season at loan at Norwich.

The Argentine had kept his situation well concealed until an interview with the Argentine media let the world know that he was diagnosed with cancer and had a testicle removed. The chemotherapy had left Gutierez wishing that he merely remained alive; rather than make a comeback to the greens of St. James’ Park.

However, the 31-year old showed that he had the soul of a lion. Gutierez not only made a full recovery from the disease, but also made it back to the black and white of Newcastle by March 2014.

The winger, who had helped the club come back to the Premier League in 2010 was again the man of the moment as he put on a stupendous performance on the last day of the season to help Newcastle stave off a second relegation in the space of seven years. An assist and eventually a second goal came from the boots of the Argentine to help the Magpies finish the season in style.

#2 Eduardo Da Silva

Eduardo Da Silva was tasked with filling the shoes of the departing Arsenal legend Thierry Henry when he arrived at North London in 2007. Scouted by Arsene Wenger as one who had the silky skills that the Gunner faithful had come to love from the likes of Henry and Bergkamp, the Croatian was on the verge of carving his own place in the hearts of the fans.

However, just as he was about to “make it”, a tackle from Birmingham’s Martin Taylor changed it all. The resultant injury was so terrible that Sky, who was broadcasting the game, refused to show the state of the Croat writhing in pain.

Many accounts of the incident state that force of the challenge had left the bones from Eduardo’s shin tear through his socks; with many believing that if tackled with little more force, the Arsenal number nine was in serious danger of have his leg ripped off.

Despite never hitting the heights he was slated to, Eduardo successfully made a comeback a year later.

#3 Eric Abidal

Eric Abidal embodies the word “warrior”. The Frenchman, one of the most highly rated defenders to come out of France in the last decade was diagnosed with cancer in the liver and had to undergo a liver transplant. But nothing could stand in the between him and his desire to again cross the white line and onto the hallowed turf.

Abidal continued playing whilst having issues with his liver, having undergone initial surgery in March, 2011. In fact it was Abidal who was passed on the captain's armband so that he may lift the Champions League trophy later that year. However, a few months on, a liver transplant was required for the player to resolve issues that remained unresolved after the initial procedures.

He continued to get healthier with time. By December of 2012, he was given the green light to resume training. His zeal was unmatched and not even a refusal by Barcelona to hand him a new contract could deter him from making a comeback at the highest level.

In 2013, Abidal signed for Monaco and quickly won back his place at the heart of the defence in Didier Deschamps’ French side.

#4 Henrik Larsson

The Swede is considered to be arguably the greatest player to have played the Scottish Premier League. Whilst many of the top dogs of Europe went hunting for his signature, Larsson had his heart set on Celtic.

However in 1999, a horrific injury nearly brought everything to an end for the Swedish striker. Larsson broke his leg in two places whilst challenging for the ball with Sergei Blanc in UEFA Cup game against Lyon. However, it was eight months before Larsson was back on the pitch and what a comeback it was.

Next season saw Larsson pump in 53 goals in all competitions for the Glasgow outfit as he was awarded with the European Golden Shoe.

#5 Aaron Ramsey

The Welshman arrived at The Emirates in 2008, with many touting the Welshman to be the next big thing in the Arsenal midfield for years to come. However, two years on and on a cold and blustery night at the Britannia, all the folklore and promise was nearly brought to an end.

A horrific challenge from Ryan Shawcross led to breaking both his tibia and fibula. The Welshman had to wait on the sidelines for an agonizing eight months before being able to put the studs on again. Many thought, Ramsey’s career would follow the path of former dramatically injured Arsenal star Eduardo Da Silva, whose career dimmed out after his own tryst with a broken leg.

However, Ramsey to his credit found the missing gear and reinvigorated himself, becoming one of the brightest stars in Arsenal’s 2013-14 campaign. Hopefully there is yet more to come.

#6 Djibril Cisse

Apart from the weird hairstyles, the one thing that was noticeable about Djibril Cisse was; he was damn quick. The Frenchman was electric on the field. Liverpool had signed one of the most anticipated and feared strikers when they signed Cisse from Bordeaux.

However, only a few months into his life at Anfield, Cisse broke both his tibia and fibula whilst jostling for a ball with Blackburn’s Jay McEveley. The Frenchman had later acknowledged that he might have had to lose a part of his leg below the knee if it were not for the club’s physios. The Frenchman would go on to make a miraculous recovery and come back onto the pitch the same season in a Champions League game against Juventus.

He has broken his legs a total of three times his entire career and is miraculously still playing in the French Ligue 1 with Bastia.

#7 Petr Cech

Petr Cech suffered one of the most horrific injuries to have been suffered by a goalkeeper in recent years. The Czech international was knocked unconscious within a minute’s play when Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt’s knee collided with the side of his head.

The goalkeeper was immediately rushed to the hospital where further tests revealed that the Chelsea custodian had suffered "depressed skull fracture" that doctors claimed “could have cost him his life”. Cech was back in his position between the posts within a few months even though his father had suggested earlier that it would take him nearly a year to recover from the blow.

Many had begun to question Cech’s mental ability as his performances dwindled in the initial phase of his comeback. Cech, however answered all his critics in the best way possible; by remaining the Chelsea number for more than a decade after the incident.

#8 Juan Arango

Juan Arango is not a household name in most parts of the world, but back in Venezuela the midfielder is worshipped. Arguably, the greatest ever footballer produced by the South American nation took a heavy hit whilst playing for Mallorca in La Liga. The skillful midfielder had been the subject of persistent fouls from the opposition, but none was as vicious as one from then-Sevilla skipper Javi Navarro.

On the fateful day, Navarro’s elbow smashed directly into Arrango’s face, breaking his cheekbone and inflicting the Venezuelan with a some serious cuts on his face. Unfortunately, Arango also swallowed his tongue. However, the presence of mind from players around helped him survive the otherwise catastrophe that was on hand.

Arango would come back later that year and finish as Mallorca’s leading scorer for the season. Navarro, meanwhile, was handed a five-game ban.

#9 Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez has always been the one guy in the modern day to divide legions and opinions. It wouldn’t surprise people if the Uruguayan’s middle name was controversy. The enigmatic forward has the talent to rip apart defences as well as the back pages with the antics on field.

The Uruguayan has been bemoaned upon, warned and suspended time and again for simulation, behaviour and theatrics. Then there is the thing about biting. Well, it doesn’t get much worse than biting and Suarez just doesn’t seem to be capable of keeping his dental hygiene in check. A bite whilst at Ajax was followed by one against Branislav Ivanovic and then the one that landed him in all sorts of problems.

The forward was deemed to have dug his canines again into an opponent. This time it was Georgio Chiellini at the end of Suarez’s dental assault. After being handed a lengthy ban by the FA for the incident against Ivanovic, this time it was FIFA who suspended Suarez for a period of nine official games and four months from being associated with any football-related activity.

That meant, even after switching to the Nou Camp, the maverick that Suarez is, wasn’t allowed to train with the first team. However, nothing seems to come in the way of the South American when struts out his stuff on the green grass. Suarez has had one of the if the not “the” most fruitful season of his career; winning the treble with Barcelona whilst scoring 23 goals and setting up 17 more for his teammates.

#10 Diego Maradona

Whilst we celebrate the talent that Diego Maradona was, people often forget that the world beater had to come back from a near career-ending injury. Many paragraphs had been written about Maradona’s ego clash with the Barcelona president but not much light has been shone on the tackle that nearly took one of football’s greatest gifts away from us.

Maradona’s career was nearly put in jeopardy by a nasty challenge by Athletic Bilbao’s infamous defender Andoni Goikoetxea. Goikoetxea, who was also nicknamed “the butcher from Bilbao”, put in a ferocious tackle on the Argentine, breaking his ankle and putting him out of action for eight months. It’s hard to imagine how a player doesn’t even get a warning for such atrocious behaviour.

A comeback and a few bust ups later, Maradona would move to Napoli. There he went on to win five trophies and the 1986 World Cup for Argentina.