'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Football has always been one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. The game requires players to be at peak fitness for 90 minutes per game. They need to repeat this throughout a season during which they have to play an average of 50 games.
The Premier League is renowned for being one of the most physically demanding football competitions in world football. The physicality and speed of the English game has been the downfall of several top-quality footballers.
Possessing qualities such as dribbling, long-range passing, heading ability and speed do not guarantee longevity in the Premier League. Players must maintain consistency in their performances on the pitch and maintain fitness levels to achieve longevity.
Several footballers in the Premier League have displayed the potential to become top-level professionals. Their progress in the game has, however, been hampered due to long-term or recurring injuries.
On that note, let's look at five Premier League players whose careers dipped due to injury.
#5 Owen Hargreaves
The story of Owen Hargreaves' injury-plagued time at Manchester United has repeatedly been told to footballers and fans for several years now. The English midfielder joined Manchester United from Bayern Munich in a deal worth £17 million in the summer of 2007.
Hargreaves was one of the most highly-rated midfielders in the world when he moved to Old Trafford and had an immediate impact in his first season. He made 34 appearances in all competitions, helping Manchester United win the Premier League and Champions League.
However, Hargreaves made just five more appearances for Manchester United in his next three years with the club as he suffered from a recurring patellar tendinitis problem.
United released him upon the expiry of his contract in 2011. Hargreaves joined Manchester City on a one-year deal but could make just one appearance for the club before announcing his retirement in 2012 at the age of just 31.
#4 Michael Owen
The inclusion of a Premier League legend like Michael Owen on this list might come as a shock to most. However, due to recurring muscle injuries, the former Liverpool striker arguably never reached his expected heights.
Owen took the Premier League by storm after making his debut as a fleet-footed 17-year-old in 1996 for Liverpool. Over the next eight years, Owen scored 118 goals in 216 Premier League appearances for Liverpool. He won the Ballon d'Or in 2001 after leading Liverpool to UEFA Cup, FA Cup and EFL Cup victories.
Owen moved to Real Madrid in 2003 but found himself behind the likes of Ronaldo and Raul in the pecking order. He joined Newcastle after just one year at the Spanish capital and was able to find his form again.
Owen, however, suffered several muscle injuries during his time with Newcastle and could never replicate the form that he displayed during his time with Liverpool.
He then spent three years at Manchester United, during which time he was able to score just five goals in 31 appearances. He also spent a year at Stoke City before bringing an end to his career in 2013.
#3 Jack Wilshere
Jack Wilshere was once lauded as one of the biggest prospects in world football. He made his debut for Arsenal in 2008 at the age of 16. He became a regular member of Arsene Wenger's squad during the 2010-11 campaign and was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year for his consistent performances.
Wilshere suffered a stress fracture ankle injury in a pre-season friendly prior to the 2011-12 campaign. The injury kept him on the sidelines for seventeen months and ruled out his chances of making the England squad for the 2012 European Championships.
Wilshere maintained fitness over the next couple of seasons but continued to suffer ankle injuries. In his last four seasons at Arsenal, Wilshere could make only 60 appearances for the club.
The Englishman was able to rejuvenate his career at Bournemouth during the 2016-17 campaign and earned himself a move to West Ham in 2017. He made just 16 appearances in three years for the Hammers before being resold to Bournemouth in 2020.
#2 Micah Richards
Micah Richards burst onto the scene at Manchester City at the age of just 17. His physical presence, speed and versatility made him one of the brightest prospects in the Premier League.
Richards was a regular feature in Manchester City's starting line-up. He earned a call-up to the England national team at 18. He played a key role in Manchester City's first-ever Premier League triumph in the 2011-12 season.
Richards suffered a knee injury that ruled him out for a lengthy period the following season. He made just nine Premier League appearances in his next three seasons with the club before joining Fiorentina on loan in 2015.
The right-back joined Aston Villa in 2016, where he was able to revive his career. However, he continued to struggle with fitness issues and failed to appear in his last two seasons with the club before retiring in 2019.
#1 Abou Diaby
Diaby will forever be known as one of the big 'what ifs?' of the Premier League. The French midfielder was expected to be the next Patrick Vieira when he joined Arsenal. His physical presence and ball carrying abilities drew comparisons with the legendary Gunners midfielder.
Diaby suffered several injuries during his first three seasons with Arsenal, and was limited to just 39 appearances. He enjoyed a breakout campaign in the 2008-09 season and became one of Arsenal's key players over the next couple of seasons.
However, he suffered an ACL tear towards the end of the 2012-13 campaign. This resulted in him making just 12 appearances in his last three seasons with the Gunners. Diaby joined Marseille in 2015 but was unable to regain full fitness. He was limited to just five Ligue 1 appearances for the French side before retiring in 2017.
