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Injuries are always a scare especially when it comes to professional football. Through history, we have learnt that a single injury can cost a team the title that they were chasing for.
The following players are those who have/had great potential but were never able to attain great heights due to these injuries.
5. Owen Hargreaves
One of the greatest defensive midfielders that ever played for England. Hargreaves was born in Canada, started playing football for Bayern Munich and then came to Manchester United. Despite never playing at England, he was awarded a place in England’s 2006 world cup squad. That was the first event that showed the true potential of Hargreaves. He was named as England’s best player in the event.
Then began the injuries. In 2007, he broke his leg and the injury turned into an patellar tendinitis in 2008.
He was a vital part of Man United’s 2008 Champions League win over Chelsea but then missed the whole of the next season. In 2011, after 777 days, he once again started for United but limped off within six minutes.
Ferguson decided to cut off Hargreaves and he was out of contract. He was subsequently picked up by rivals Manchester City. He has since started only one game for City.
4. Darren Anderton
A wonder kid whose career collapsed due to frustrating injuries. Despite being a top player, he played only 299 games for Tottenham Hotspurs between 1992 and 2004.
He has had almost all types of injuries ranging from Knee, Achilles, Hernia and Groin. After fading away and losing his place at Tottenham, he then moved on to low-key clubs like Birmingham City and Wolverhampton. In 2006, he moved to League One side AFC Bournemouth on a pay-as-you-play basis.
Even in his last game, he scored a fantastic volley defying his age. Darren Anderton is truly the most gifted footballer who never attained his pinnacle.
Of course, Arsenal fans are hoping that he would not get injured this season. But, the fact that he has been low-key so far is because of his injuries. van Persie has always been a top player but with his injuries, the world never saw his potential until now.
The following is the Injury list of van Persie during his time in Arsenal and it is quite long.
Knee Injury…………..Arsenal Injuries…………2011 February 28thHamstring Injury…….Arsenal Injuries…………2011 February 22ndFlu……………………..Arsenal Injuries…………2011 February 8thAnkle/Foot Injury…….Arsenal Injuries………..2010 August 28thAnkle/Foot Injury……. Arsenal Injuries……….2010 June 1stSprained Ankle………..Arsenal Injuries……….2009 November 14thKnee Injury……………..Arsenal Injuries……….2009 September 13thGroin Strain……………..Arsenal Injuries………2009 April 18thGroin Strain………………Arsenal Injuries……..2009 March 30thHamstring Injury…………..Arsenal Injuries……2008 October 6thAnkle/Foot Injury…………Arsenal Injuries…….2008 August 31stThigh Muscle Strain…….Arsenal Injuries……..2008 May 2ndThigh Muscle Strain……Arsenal Injuries………2008 April 4thThigh Muscle Strain…….Arsenal Injuries……..2008 January 11thThigh Muscle Strain…….Arsenal Injuries……..2007 December 24thKnee Injury……………Arsenal Injuries………….2007 October 18thMetatarsal Fracture…….Arsenal Injuries………2007 January 22ndAnkle/Foot Injury………..Arsenal Injuries……..2006 November 19thHip/Thigh Injury……………..Arsenal Injuries…..2006 September 14thAnkle/Foot Injury……………Arsenal Injuries…..2006 February 10thAnkle/Foot Injury………… Arsenal Injuries…….2005 December 22ndKnee Injury………………..Arsenal Injuries……..2005 October 17thAnkle/Foot Injury……….Arsenal Injuries……….2005 February 5thSprained Ankle………..Arsenal Injuries ………..2004 November 26thSprained Ankle………..Arsenal Injuries………..2004 August 27th
For a player of his caliber, these injuries are unacceptable. Let us hope that he puts all these behind him and guns Gunners to the top.
2. Michael Owen
If Michael Owen was not this injury prone, the English National Team would have won some cups over the past decade and half.
Owen made his Liverpool debut in 1996 and soon created an impact at Anfield. Ever since 1998 till the time he left the club in 2004, he was their top scorer year after year. He then moved on to Real Madrid where he ended his first season with the highest ratio of goals scored to the minutes played.
Later, he moved to Newcastle United and then the injuries started to happen. He tore his ACL in the 2006 World Cup followed by numerous injuries playing for Newcastle. He was never able to attain the form he displayed in Liverpool once again.
Still, he moved to Manchester United on a free contract in 2009 and scored that famous goal against Manchester City in extra time.
1. Jonathan Woodgate
He probably was the best center back that England never had. Woodgate was a member of the Leeds Youth Academy and was described as their ‘jewel in the crown’ but was sold to Newcastle on a massive deal due to Leeds’ financial constrain.
He instantly became a top player at Newcastle but the injuries didn’t stop. He displayed a fantastic performance in the first leg of the UEFA Cup Semis against Marseille but was injured for the second leg as Newcastle got knocked out.
His talent was unquestionable and hence Real Madrid signed him in a surprise move worth 13.4 Million Euros. It took more than a year for Woodgate to make his first Real Madrid appearance due to injuries. In his very first game, he scored an own goal and got sent off. Soon, he managed to get the praise of the Spanish Media with a string of good performances but injuries happened once again and he moved to Middlesborough on loan.
He then moved on the Tottenham Hotspurs where the injuries struck again. In 2011, he came back after a year to play for Spurs but was injured in that very game and was later released.
He is still playing for a top premier league club in Stoke City and that shows how much talented this defender is.
Honorable Mentions – Robbie Fowler, Kieron Dyer, Dean Ashton, Ledley King and Dijibril Cisse.
