10 most unfortunate injuries to high-profile footballers

Aaron Ramsey leg break

#2 David Beckham - Metatarsal

David Beckham metatarsal injury

When discussing high-profile injuries, few are more infamous than the cataclysmic broken metatarsal suffered by David Beckham, only a couple of months prior to the start of the 2002 World Cup. Playing for Manchester United in a Champions League quarter-final game with Deportivo La Coruna, Beckham was cut down by Argentine Aldo Duscher’s brutal sweeping challenge and, with his collapse to the floor, the nation’s hopes of tournament success unravelled rapidly.

Of the five metatarsal bones we have in each foot, it was the second, one of the most susceptible to injury, which cursed Beckham that day. The break sidelined him for long enough to keep the nails of England fans short and nibbled, but not so long as to rule him out of contention for the prestigious World Cup – which he did manage to lead England out into, resuming his role as golden boy to start the 1-1 draw with Sweden in the opening encounter.

Much like the now-so-prominent metatarsals support our framework, the weight of expectation regarding England’s success rested heavily on Beckham’s shoulders, but the injury rendered him a touch shy of full fitness and he failed to reach his maximum in the competition. The Three Lions were eventually dispatched by eventual winners Brazil in the last eight.

Broken metatarsals remain a burden for many footballers today, with experts eager to point the finger in the direction of boot manufacturers, suggesting the modern flimsy design of player footwear is putting the greatest at risk of severe casualty.

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Edited by Staff Editor