Injuries are one of the cruellest aspects of sport. Often, they are brought on by no fault of the individual, while some, such as muscular problems, can be impossible to shake off and can return at any moment.
Countless players have had their careers ended prematurely due to such issues, but often those who are able to go on do not return the same player.
Here are five current players who had their pathways to becoming superstars impeded by such problems at a young age, which may have been the difference between the Ballon d’Or and where they are now.
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#5 Jese
When Jese debuted competitively for Real Madrid in 2012, aged only 19, there was a real buzz around the Bernabeu that he could grow into a superstar. He was not quite in the same mould as Raul, favouring a more withdrawn position on the wing to the legendary centre-forward, but there was real hope he could emulate his longevity.
It was after Jose Mourinho’s departure in 2013 when Jese started to make a real impression in the starting XI, scoring eight goals in 31 matches in the 2013-14 season under Carlo Ancelotti. Disaster struck in a Champions League match against Schalke, as he suffered a serious knee ligament injury that he has yet to fully recover from.
Although he has argued it made him a more “mature” player, he never won his place back in the Madrid side and failed to impose himself at Paris Saint-Germain following a €25 million move to the Parc des Princes. A loan switch in January to Las Palmas saw his fortunes take a slight rise, but there is little hope that he will become the player it was once hoped.
#4 Jack Wilshere
The professional career of Jack Wilshere started when he was a mere 16-year-old with Arsenal. Since making his Premier League debut in 2008 against Blackburn, the central midfielder has only played 105 times in the top flight for Arsene Wenger’s side – a huge disappointment given that when he broke into the side he seemed to be a young man with the world at his feet.
Some would point to his lifestyle choices as a reason for his failure to yet realise his potential – he has been involved in several off-field controversies – yet there is little doubt that injuries have played a massive role.
Since suffering a sprained ankle in July 2011, he has been kept out on eight different occasions for more than 50 days in succession. The worst of these was a hairline crack in his calfbone that saw him miss much of the 2015-16 season – an injury that he is currently battling following a promising loan spell at Bournemouth.
Only the most optimistic, however, expect to see him become the classy midfield general that was once promised.
#3 Abou Diaby
When fit, Abou Diaby was an absolute beast of a central midfield player – the replacement that Arsene Wenger wanted for Patrick Vieira in his Arsenal side. However, if there is one weakness in the France international’s game, it has been getting himself in a match-fit condition.
Indeed, it is doubtful that there has ever been a player as injury prone as Diaby. During a 13-year professional career, he has mustered only 139 league appearances, including a mere 28 since the beginning of 2011. At the end of the month, he will be released by Marseille, having featured for only 165 minutes in two years.
It is a massive shame for the player, who during the 2009-10 season, when he enjoyed a rare spell of health, looked monstrous for the Gunners and then similarly influential for France when given his chance in the ill-fated 2010 World Cup campaign.
Who will take a chance on the 31-year-old now?
#2 Kerlon
Back when YouTube was just starting to make an impact, the talents of a highly unusual and utterly unique Brazilian footballer were starting to go viral. Such was the skill that Kerlon had, he was able to dribble the ball using only his head or upper part of his body, making it impossible to dispossess him without committing a foul.
Inter had no doubt caught wind of this unusual player with his trademark skill, ‘the seal dribble’ and acquired him through a complicated and somewhat underhand loan move to Chievo. However, the Brazil Under-20 international would never get a chance to make an impact in Europe as he suffered from a succession of serious knee injuries that prevented him from getting anywhere close to full fitness.
Circus act or unfulfilled talent? Either way, he has been plying his trade in Slovakia with Spartak Trnava and will become a free agent on July 1.
#1 Yoann Gourcuff
To see the undoubted quality that Yoann Gourcuff possesses, simply look at the goal he scored for Bordeaux against Paris Saint-Germain in January 2009. During that campaign, he produced moments of magic on a weekly basis and finally seemed to be living up to his promise as France’s next Zidane following a failed spell in Italy.
A year later, he was key as Bordeaux reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League, beating Juventus en route, but there was to be a sharp decline just around the corner.
He made a €22 million move to Lyon in the summer of 2010 and seemed set to continue to scale the heights, yet he was struck down by a series of problems that rendered him completely ineffective for the Rhone giants. Since then, he has never been able to go close to his best level, with some close to him even suggesting that his problems are more mental than physical.
Now, he can be found teaming up with father Christian, who is the coach of Rennes. There are the occasional glimpses of the old Gourcuff, but nothing of the sort that led to many believing that he could become the world’s greatest playmaker when at his best.
