10 worst injuries in Premier League – from Cech to star almost losing eye
Despite the constant hammering from some corners that modern football has become ‘soft’, there are still a number of horrendous injuries that occur in our physical game.
Premier League stars can usually expect a tight hamstring or a trodden foot, but sadly on the odd occasion, things can be even worse.
Players can lose years out owing to a severe leg break – or they never get to play ever again.
Here the Daily Star Sport takes you through 10 times that footballers in England’s elite division suffered some of the most horrific injuries imaginable.
Warning: this won't be for the weak of heart.
Gary Mabbutt – Almost lost eye (1993)
During an encounter with Wimbledon in the Premier League, Tottenham’s Gary Mabbut was caught by John Fashanu’s elbow in an ariel challenge.
The injury was severe. The defender needed a metal plate to be installed in his cheek, as well as two hours of surgery, to save his eye.
Mabbutt, who’s now 60, has the unwanted record of being the first-ever player to adorn a protective mask when he did return some three months later.
But that was not all for Mabbut; not by a long shot. On the opening day of his penultimate season at Spurs, in 1996-97, he fractured his leg and missed the entirety of the campaign.
Since retiring, he had surgery to save his left leg following a terrible bout of peripheral arterial disease, brought on by his diabetes in 2013, while in 2018 when he was holidaying with his daughter in South Africa, he had part of his foot eaten by a rat.
Despite his catalogue of injuries, Mabbutt is considered a Spurs legend, having the second-most outings for the side (477). Meanwhile. he was awarded an MBE in 1994, a Master of Science degree in 1998, a Hon. Doctor of Health degree 2018, and a Hon. Doctor of Law degree in 2019.
Busy chap.
David Busst – Double leg fracture (1996)
What's the worst injury you recall from the Premier League? Let us know your thoughts in thecomments section.
David Busst featured in his final ever professional match on 8 April 1996 – though he didn't know it at the time.
Playing for Coventry against Manchester United at Old Trafford, the defender smashed into Denis Irwin and Brian McClair, resulting in extensive fractures to both the tibia and fibula of his right leg.
The game was stopped for nine minutes, and the player had to be stretched off as his blood was cleaned off the grass as Peter Schmeichel, who witnessed the incident, vomited.
The injury – generally considered the worst-ever – was such that Busst was at risk of having his leg amputated. A following 22 operations subsided, but Busst retired 6 November 1996 on medical advice.
The 54-year-old returned to football in the mid-noughties, managing non-league sides Solihull Borough and Evesham United.
As of 2019, the former Bristol City player worked at Coventry’s Community charity. He said to the Mirror: “I’ve not spoken to Denis or Brian about the injury. But ultimately we all respect our fellow professionals."
Raul Jimenez – Fractured skill (2020)
Raul Jimenez suffered a fractured skull after a clash with David Luiz while playing for Wolves against Arsenal in November 2020.
The attacker had to miss the rest of the season and required surgery following the collision, such was the extent of it.
The 30-year-old made a return to action for the 2021-22 campaign but it was announced that he would have to wear a head guard for the rest of his career.
He’s scored three goals in 17 league outings for the Midlands club so far this season.
Ryan Mason – Fractured skull (2017)
Ryan Mason clashed heads with Gary Cahill in a match between Chelsea and Hull and suffered a fractured skull.
He underwent a successful operation on the head injury, with some 14 metal plates in his skull with 28 screws holding them together, but he was not able to play again and retired in February 2018.
The following April, he joined Tottenham’s coaching staff – and, three years later, following the dismissal of José Mourinho, the former midfielder was named interim head coach of the club at just 29 years old. It made him the youngest manager of a Premier League team.
Antonio Conte, Spurs’ new manager, promoted Mason to the role of first-team coach, after impressing the Italian with his leadership skills.
Luc Nilis – Double leg fracture (2000)
In what was only his third match for Aston Villa, at the start of the 2000-01 season, Luc Nilis collided with Richard Wright, who was in goal for Ipswich. He sustained a double fracture but it was the subsequent infections that meant that the Belgian could’ve lost his leg.
The former PSV player, now 54, never played again, but he’s been frequently cited as one of the most underappreciated players in history.
Brazilian Ronaldo has alluded to the forward as one of his best-ever strike partners. Meanwhile, Ruud van Nistelrooy has also stated on several occasions that Nilis was one of the best he’s ever played with.
Djibril Cisse – Broken tibia and fibula (2004)
Djibril Cisse endured a broken tibia and fibula during a Liverpool against Blackburn. The footage was sickening, showing the legs snap while his studs remained in the turf.
But while it was a vomit-inducing break, Cisse somehow made a return to football seven months later.
The striker, however, then went on to suffer a similar break two years later, during France's final warm-up match against China.
However, the 40-year-old again continued and enjoyed an illustrious career that lasted another ten years. His final campaign, the 2017-18 season, saw him bag 24 goals in 29 goals for Swiss outfit Yverdon-Sport.
Alf-Inge Haaland – Knee injury (2001)
There’s a lot of myth about Alf-Inge Haaland’s injury. Though it’s widely said that Roy Keane ended his career during the Manchester derby in 2001, actually Haaland stated that his knee was already playing up before he took the blow from the Red Devils captain.
Keane got in trouble when, in his autobiography, he stated that he deliberately wanted to harm Haaland – thought the Irishman later disputed this claim, saying it was poor paraphrasing by his ghostwriter.
Haaland retired in 2003 and while his son, Erling Haaland, is supposed to be doing quite well at the top level.
Petr Cech – depressed skull fracture (2006)
Petr Cech’s protective headgear became just as iconic as the goalkeeper himself. While playing for Chelsea against Reading, Stephen Hunt's right knee hit his head. He was taken off and Carlo Cudicini came on, who himself was knocked out cold later in the game, meaning John Terry was forced to go between the sticks.
Cech had surgery for a depressed skull fracture and spent a long time on the sidelines for the Blues.
The 39-year-old made his return a year later, 20 January 2007 against Liverpool. He’s maintained that he had no memory of the injury or how it happened.
Eduardo -Broken leg and dislocated ankle (2008)
Arsene Wenger was so incensed by the tackle that caused Eduardo to break his leg and dislocate his ankle that he suggested Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor should be banned from the sport entirely.
Sky Sports, who were broadcasting the Arsenal clash, opted against showing replays of the incident.
The Brazilian forward returned to action in February 2009 but never truly made his mark with the Gunners. He enjoyed a fruitful couple of spells at Shakhtar Donetsk, before retiring from the game at Legia Warsaw in the 2017-18 season.
Wenger later retracted his comments.
Pedro Mendes – Knocked out and suffered a seizure (2006)
When playing for Portsmouth, Pedro Medes endured one of the worst retaliations in football. Manchester City’s Ben Thatcher smashed the Portgual midfielder with his elbow and the results were catastrophic.
The Pompey player fell into a billboard head-first, becoming unconscious. The blow was so bad that he needed to be supplied oxygen on the pitch.
The 42-year-old stayed in hospital overnight before being discharged.
Though Thatcher only received a yellow card on the pitch, he was fined and suspended by Manchester City. He retired in 2010 after Roy Keane terminated his contract at Ipswich Town for the player’s refusal to move closer to the club.
Mendes currently works as a football agent, having retired in 2011–12.
Aaron Ramsey – Double leg break (2010)
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Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross caused a double fracture to Aaron Ramsey's leg as the pair smashed together in the middle of the pitch.
The tackle infuriated Arsenal fans, but Shawcross was clearly distressed by the injury.
Arsenal’s then-prodigy was hospitalised. He had broken his tibia and fibula and it took just under a year to recover.
Ramsey, 30, currently plays for Juventus but is something of a benchwarmer. He’s shown signs of brilliance over the years, for club and country, but hasn’t truly hit the heights expected of him just yet.
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