The worst injuries in football history (Ranked)

Football is a captivating and exhilarating game, but it’s not without its risks. In the quest of scoring goals or defending your box, players put their bodies on the line, and sometimes come out injured as a result. Whether it’s players at the height of their powers, or those up-and-coming starlets breaking onto the scene, a devastating injury can cause major damage to someone’s career.

So, join GIVEMESPORT as we look at the 15 worst injuries, explaining what happened, the initial fallout, and how the player was able to recover if they were even able to.

Eduardo
Arsenal vs Birmingham City (2008)

Eduardo da Silva suffered a shocking leg fracture playing for Arsenal against Birmingham City in 2008. A mistimed tackle from Martin Taylor left Eduardo with a broken left fibula and dislocated ankle, leaving him on the sidelines just a few months after joining the Gunners.

He was out of action for a long time, and despite being able to return to the field in February 2009, the Croatian never quite regained his previous form, much to the dismay of Arsenal fans around the world. His career continued with Shakhtar Donetsk where he found moderate success, before retiring from football in 2018.

David Busst
Coventry City vs Manchester United (1996)

One of the most horrific injuries in football, David Busst’s career ended when he collided with Manchester United players during a corner during a game in 1996, resulting in compound fractures to both the tibia and fibula of his right leg. The recovery process was long, filled with surgeries, and even fears that Busst might have to have his leg amputated. While that didn’t happen, the injuries ultimately led to his retirement. Busst has since worked with Coventry City’s community program, but his injury was so severe that he was never able to play the beautiful game again.

Luc Nilis
Aston Villa vs Ipswich Town (2000)

Playing for Aston Villa, Luc Nilis’s career was cut short when a collision with Ipswich goalkeeper Richard Wright led to a compound fracture in his right leg. Nills had just joined Aston Villa, scoring one goal in the first two games, but his third outing for the side saw him suffer a horrific leg injury.

Nilis had to undergo intense surgery and rehabilitation, and there were even fears that his leg might have to be amputated after his wounds got infected. But that didn’t happen, but Nilis was still forced to retire early, later taking on a coaching role at PSV Eindhoven.

Henrik Larsson
Celtic vs Lyon (1999)

One of Sweden’s biggest and best-ever stars, Henrik Larsson suffered a severe injury while playing for Celtic, breaking his leg in two places during a UEFA Cup tie against Lyon in 1999.

A recovery period of eight months saw Larsson return to action, stunningly regaining his previous form and achieving numerous accolades including winning the Golden Boot. The Swede would later make a high-profile move to Barcelona, where he helped turn the Champions League final on its head against Arsenal in 2006 and helped the Catalan giants secure European football’s biggest prize. Larsson would then later find himself in the Premier League for a brief stint with Manchester United, but while he ended up achieving greatness, the horrific nature of his injury back in 1999 cannot be forgotten.

Djibril Cisse
Liverpool vs Blackburn Rovers (2004)

Djibril Cisse’s career was marked by two devastating leg breaks, which came only two years apart. The first occurred in a match for Liverpool in 2004, with this sidelining him for seven months. The second happened during a World Cup warm-up match in 2006 and was potentially even more horrific.

The striker was stretchered off the field in Les Bleus’ clash against China, after chasing the ball down the right flank and then being knocked off balance by a defender and seeing his right leg twist under him. Despite these setbacks, Cisse’s resilience enabled him to continue playing at various clubs, though never quite hitting his peak again.

Alf-Inge Haaland
Manchester City vs Manchester United (2001)

A reckless challenge from Roy Keane left Alf-Inge Haaland, the father of Manchester City star Erling, with a knee injury that ultimately led to his retirement. The tackle became notorious and sparked controversy, and in his autobiography a year later, Keane would admit he had “waited long enough” to get his own back on Haaland after the pair’s confrontations in previous meetings.

His animosity for the Norwegian came from when Haaland stood over Keane after the latter went down following a clash in 1997, and accused him of feigning injury. Instead, the former Republic of Ireland star had ruptured his cruciate ligament. In the end, Haaland struggled with his own injury, playing only a few more matches before retiring in 2003.

Alan Smith
Manchester United vs Liverpool (2006)

Former Manchester United talent Alan Smith’s career took a turn when he blocked a free-kick from John Arne Riise during an FA Cup game against Liverpool, resulting in a broken leg and dislocated ankle. After a year out, he returned but failed to reach his previous levels, playing for several clubs before retiring. It was quite the heartbreaking decline for Smith, who was once tipped for big things following his high-profile move from Leeds United to the red half of Manchester.

Speaking a week before the transfer deadline in the summer of 2005, Sir Alex Ferguson said: “Roy (Keane) sees characteristics in Alan that he saw in himself as a young player, which could help Alan develop into a very good player in that position.” Sadly for Smith and United, his horror injury stopped him from fulfilling his potential.

Patrick Battiston
France vs Germany (1982)

In the 1982 World Cup semi-final, a brutal collision with German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher left Patrick Battiston with broken teeth, ribs, and damaged vertebrae. The Frenchman was put clean through on goal, and despite managing to get his shot away, Schumacher twisted his body and had his hip clatter into the defender’s face.

Battiston would fall to the ground unconscious, and even slip into a coma, while his teammate, Michel Platini, even thought that he was dead because he “had no pulse and looked pale”. He made a remarkable recovery, continuing his international and club career, winning several league titles with Bordeaux.

Radamel Falcao
AS Monaco vs Monts d’Or Azergues (2014)

A torn ACL in a French Cup game sidelined Radamel Falcao for several months, causing him to miss the 2014 World Cup. Although he returned to play, the injury affected his performance, and Falcao struggled to regain his elite status, despite showing some glimpses during his time at Monaco. The Colombian had developed a reputation as a fearsome marksman, plundering goals for Porto and then Atletico Madrid in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

His performances in the Spanish capital earned him a move to big-spending AS Monaco, where he would suffer his injury just months after joining. Falcao would play for Manchester United on loan, before returning to Monaco and enjoying one of his better years when he helped the team to the Champions League semi-finals alongside a youthful Kylian Mbappe in 2017.

Neymar
Brazil vs Colombia (2014)

In terms of heartbreaking injuries, this one might top the lot. During the 2014 World Cup, Neymar suffered a fractured vertebra following a challenge from Colombia’s Juan Camilo Zúñiga. The Brazil sensation was the name on everybody’s lips heading into the tournament, given that it was being hosted in his home country, and the sea of yellow and deafening noise when he took to the stage was a sight to behold.

The stars had seemingly aligned for him to have his crowning international moment and to follow in the footsteps of Samba stars before him – the likes of Pele, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo to name but a few. Instead, the injury would put him out of the tournament, and he would later have to watch on as Germany trounced Brazil 7-1 in the semi-finals to send a whole nation into mourning.

Aaron Ramsey
Arsenal vs Stoke City (2010)

When it comes to Arsenal players and serious injuries, nothing touches the tackle from Ryan Shawcross that left Aaron Ramsey with a broken leg in 2010. The Welshman had joined from Cardiff a couple of years earlier and was beginning to show signs of promise and why Arsene Wenger had decided to make a move for him. Going to Stoke for a Premier League game had already been built up as a challenging fixture in the top flight, and the physicality of the contests against Tony Pulis’ side seemed to make its mark.

After a recovery period of nine months, Ramsey returned to football, showing impressive resilience and later becoming one of the key players for both club and country despite the setback during the early stages of his career. Some FA Cup trophies – including scoring the winner against both Hull City and Chelsea – left a fine legacy at Arsenal, although even with those, there is surely still an element of what could have been had Ramsey not suffered his leg break.

Luke Shaw
Manchester United vs PSV (2015)

After joining in a big-money deal from Southampton, Luke Shaw was undoubtedly seen as a pillar of Manchester United’s defence for at least a decade. The left-back had shown real promise during his early career with the Saints, and the feeling was that the Red Devils had done the right thing in going early to sign him ahead of any potential competition. Unfortunately for both club and player, Shaw would suffer a double leg fracture in a Champions League match against PSV in 2015, badly damaging his progress at Old Trafford.

After a long 11-month recovery, Shaw returned to the pitch, slowly regaining form and becoming an integral part of United’s defence, although injury issues have continued to plague him throughout his time at the club.

Kieron Dyer
West Ham United vs Bristol Rovers (2007)

Perhaps best remembered by footballing neutrals for his shocking on-pitch clash with teammate Lee Bowyer whilst at Newcastle, Kieron Dyer suffered arguably the worst moment of his career a few years after that incident at St James’ Park.

In an accidental collision with Joe Jacobson in a League Cup tie against Bristol Rovers, Dyer, now at West Ham, sustained a double fracture in his right leg. Although he made a recovery, the injury, which took place in 2007, massively hampered his career. Unfortunately, the former Newcastle man never reached the same heights he once enjoyed.

Roberto Baggio
Brescia vs Parma (2002)

The man with the iconic mullet, Roberto Baggio, was one of the great Italian players of the late 20th century, having an international career with the Azzurri that spanned a remarkable 16 years from 1988 to 2004. It was towards the end of his time as a player though, that Baggio suffered his most devastating setback, when he tore his ACL in 2002, a blow that forced him to miss several months of play.

Despite the setback, Baggio managed a return to action, and arguably played some of the best football of his career at Brescia, racking up back-to-back campaigns of double-digit goals in Serie A. If ever you needed proof of the Italian playmaker’s ability, then that surely was it.

Marcin Wasilewski
Anderlecht vs Standard Liege (2009)

And finally, this horrifying tackle from Axel Witsel resulted in Marcin Wasilewski suffering a broken leg and ankle in 2009 when Standard Liege took on Anderlecht in the Belgian Pro League. The defender would undergo corrective surgery for open fractures to both the tibia and the fibula, while Witsel would be suspended by the Belgian FA for eight games over the incident, after an appeal. After intensive treatment and rehabilitation, Wasilewski made a remarkable recovery, continuing his career at Leicester City and winning a Premier League title under Claudio Ranieri in one of the greatest sporting achievements in history.

Source: GiveMeSport