The 5 Most Gruesome Injuries in Football History

It may be the beautiful game, but over the last twenty years we have seen some serious injuries that have seriously impacted players careers. Whether it has come from a reckless challenge or a freak incident, here are five of the worst injuries that we have seen on the football pitch.

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#5 Petr Cech

Cech says he nearly lost his life after the incident

In October 2006, champions Chelsea travelled to Reading in the Premier League. During the game, Cech received a serious injury to the head, which has resulted in him wearing a helmet in games ever since. The injury was caused when Reading player Stephen Hunt collided with the goalkeeper as they both chased after a loose ball. The Czech goalkeeper fractured his skull and required emergency surgery to save his life. He missed the next three months of action, but eventually returned to action for Chelsea. He now plays for Arsenal.

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#4 Eduardo Da Silva

The Croatian was never the same player after the injury

After a slow start to his life in England, the Croatian was just finding form when this horror injury derailed his promising career. The striker suffered both a broken leg and dislocation in his ankle, following an appalling tackle from Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor. Many broadcasters refused to show the footage in the aftermath of the incident, and Arsene Wenger called for a lifetime ban for Taylor.

Arsenal were top of the Premier League at the time of the injury, and the incident is cited as a major factor in the team failing to win the Premier League in the 07/08 season. Eduardo spent the next 12 months on the sidelines, but the striker scored two goals on his return to the Arsenal team. Eduardo was soon sold and never reached the heights expected due to the injury, but he did go on to represent Croatia at the 2014 World Cup, which was played in his native country of Brazil.

#3 Aaron Ramsey

Another Arsenal victim on the list. Happening just two years after Eduardo's injury, many of the same Gunners players had to once again witness their teammate suffer a horrific injury. This time it was 19-year-old Aaron Ramsey, who was just starting to break into the first team. The Welshman's ankle buckled under a challenge from Ryan Shawcross, and the youngster could be seen in serious discomfort as his leg hanged in an unnatural position.

Ramsey remarkably made a full recovery and was playing again before the year had ended. The midfielder remains at Arsenal and has since become the teams longest serving player. He has racked up nearly 350 appearances for the team, scoring 58 games. Still aged just 27, Ramsey looks set to be an important player for the London club for years to come.

#2 Djibril Cisse

This injury to Cisse caused him to miss the 2006 World Cup. The injury was caused when the Frenchman was knocked off balance by a Chinese defender, leading to Cisse's right leg to twist and then buckle above his ankle. This was the then Liverpool strikers second leg break in less than two years, and ultimately cost Cisse some of the blistering pace he showed in his early career. The striker did, however, go on to play in seven different countries, scoring over 250 career goals.

#1 David Busst

The least recognisable name on the list perhaps suffered the most agonising injury in football history. Busst suffered the injury in 1996, during a Premier League match against Manchester United. The injury occurred when Busst collided with two United players, causing his right leg to suffer compound fractures to both the tibia and fibula. The injury was so bad that it required 26 operations, and it eventually forced the Englishman to retire from professional football despite only being in his late twenties.

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