Long term injury setbacks can often be quite devastating in any sport. Football is no different, and there’ve been a whole host of players who’ve been out for long spells only to never return to being the explosive players they once were.
Luis Ronaldo, the phenomenon, immediately springs to mind. After his marvelous debut season for Inter in the 1997-98 season, having already smashed records at Barcelona the year before, Ronaldo suffered the first of a series of devastating knee injuries that would thoroughly hamper his career.
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To think that Ronaldo still managed to win another two World player of the year awards, the FIFA World Cup and a whole host of glittering personal accolades is a testament to the marvelous player he was even after his injury.
But make no mistake, the explosive, otherworldly, Ronaldo we had seen before his spate of knee injuries had never returned. That he was still often considered the best player in the world can only make us wonder how much more stunning his achievements would have been had he not been tackled by injuries in the first place.
The mental aspect isn’t any easier. For athletes who have dedicated their entire lives to this sport, spending long periods of time away from what they love and live for is remarkably difficult.
In this piece, we’ll take a look at the players who have recently been hampered by a sustained period away from the game but who’ll be looking to come back with a vengeance next season:
1) Kevin Strootman
Strootman was one of the most dynamic and promising midfielders around when he joined Roma from PSV in 2013. His initial performances showed that he was living up to the hype and it didn’t take long for clubs to begin circling around the Dutch midfielder. Manchester United were especially keen on swooping in for him, well aware that a midfielder of his class, strength and quality could elevate their midfield to another level.
However, towards the end of the season, he sustained his first knee injury and would be forced to miss the 2014 FIFA world cup, a setback that made Van Gaal completely change his playing system for the Netherlands. Strootman would go on to make only 12 appearances in the next 2 seasons, facing setback after setback on his way to return to full fitness.
Strootman is fit now though, and made a few impressive appearances towards the end of the season and seems more determined and self-assured than ever. He’s already back in the playing 11 of the national team and though he’ll unfortunately, miss out on the Euros (The Netherlands didn’t qualify), it means he’ll have the off season to train hard and be back with a bang next season.
2) Santi Cazorla
I’ve been an ardent fan of Cazorla since his Villarreal days. Never blessed with a lot of pace, Cazorla has had to make sure every movement of his was precise, every dribble beautifully timed and every pass impeccably orchestrated to be considered as one of the best in his position. And the fact that he’s delivered that on a consistent basis for every club he’s turned out for since, says a lot about his talents as a player.
Cazorla had firmly established himself at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield before his injury setback sent Arsenal rollicking down the table and well away from any potential title challenge. If Granit Xhaka settles in at Arsenal, expect him and Cazorla to form a fearsome duo in the center of midfield for the Gunners.
3) Giuseppe Rossi
It wasn’t too long ago that Rossi was consistently targeted by a whole host of English and European Clubs. Rossi could pass, dribble and was lethal in front of goal and was on his way to cementing his reputation as one of the most in-demand forwards in European football. Rossi is another player who’s faced setback after setback in his career and at 29-years-old certainly isn’t young anymore.
To think of all that he could have accomplished in his career and the fact that he’s missed so much of the most productive years of his life as a footballer will sting, but Rossi seems to have put his injury-ridden past behind him.
He’s been fit for several months now and scored some critical goals for Levante in the second half of their season. Not especially dependent on pace, Rossi still has a few good years in him and will look to show the world the player he once was next year.
4) Kurt Zouma
The tall centre-back arrived from Saint-Etienne for a fee believed to be around £12 million, a massive bargain when you consider the money flying around for young quality centre-backs in these times. It didn’t take him long to justify the hype around him and amidst Chelsea’s helter-skelter season he’s been one of the shining lights.
He ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee in early February and was ruled out for six months, also missing out on the Euros in his home country, in what was sure to be a devastating blow. At 21-years-old though, he’s remarkably young and will surely return with his same steely resistance and combativeness in the air.
Antonio Conte certainly knows how to organise a defence, and several central defenders have bloomed under his tutelage. Kurt Zouma could certainly add to the list of Andrea Barzagli, Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio Chiellini as one of the best defenders in the world, given time.
5) Holger Badstuber
Badstuber, a Bayern youth academy product, was an imperative part of the Bayern team that made it to the Champions League final in 2012, only to heartbreakingly lose to a Chelsea team that seemed destined to win that tournament. Only 23-years-old at the time, it seemed like the young German had the world at his feet.
Fast-forward to four years later, in a time that he’s been able to make only 43 appearances in all competitions in that time and you begin to understand what a torrid time he’s had with long term injuries.
With Mats Hummels just having been signed by Bayern, he’s going to have to fight for his place in the first team although it’ll help that the German can play at left back as well. If he manages to reclaim his place in the starting lineup and with the brilliant Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, Bayern could well have another successful Champions League campaign.
