It’s maybe the damage that footballers dread probably the most. Anterior cruciate ligament tears can depart a participant needing surgical procedure and often imply a protracted interval on the sidelines.
A key piece of tissue which retains the patella (knee bone) related to the femur (thigh bone) and the tibia (shinbone), the anterior cruciate ligament can tear or snap if a participant places strain on the knee joint or makes a sudden motion.
Significantly widespread in ladies’s soccer, the damage has additionally been on the rise within the males’s sport in recent times. A participant sustaining an ACL tear or rupture could be out for as much as a 12 months and in some instances, it may be sufficient to finish a profession.
Right here, a have a look at some high-profile gamers within the males’s sport who’ve sustained anterior cruciate ligament accidents…
Radamel Falcao (Monaco)
After scoring 70 objectives in 91 video games for Atlético Madrid in an electrical two-season spell in Spain, Radamel Falcao was one of many world’s most sought-after gamers.
So it was considerably shocking when the Colombian signed for Monaco in the summertime of 2013. In a Coupe de France conflict towards Chasselay the next January, Falcao tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He missed the remainder of the season and in addition the 2014 World Cup. And upon his return, he was by no means fairly the identical participant once more.
Éder Militão (Actual Madrid)
Actual Madrid defender Éder Militão sustained an anterior cruciate ligament damage in his left knee in a LaLiga sport towards Athletic Membership and missed nearly all the season, though he was a late substitute as Los Blancos beat Borussia Dortmund to win the 2024 Champions League ultimate in June.
Again within the staff within the 2024/25 marketing campaign, the Brazilian defender tore his ACL once more, this time in his proper leg in a LaLiga sport towards Osasuna in November 2024.
Ivan Perišić (Tottenham)
Ivan Perišić suffered a posh anterior cruciate ligament damage in his proper knee throughout non-contact coaching at Tottenham in September 2023.
The Croatian midfielder underwent surgical procedure, however by no means performed for Spurs once more and moved again to his homeland with Hajduk Break up in January 2024.
Robert Pirès (Arsenal)
Robert Pirès’ 2001/02 season was ended prematurely because the French winger suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in an FA Cup tie towards Newcastle in March 2002.
Pirès went on to overlook the FA Cup ultimate and in addition the 2002 World Cup, however he was named because the Soccer Writers’ Participant of the Yr for his function in Arsenal’s league and cup double.
Ruud van Nistelrooy (PSV)
With an £18.5 million transfer to Manchester United all agreed and a switch simply days away, catastrophe struck for Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The Dutchman ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament at PSV and was out of motion for a 12 months, however Alex Ferguson returned the next summer season to finish a £19m deal for the striker.
Gavi (Spain)
Enjoying for Spain towards Georgia in November 2023, Gavi sustained a whole tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee and an related damage to the lateral meniscus.
The Barcelona midfielder missed the remainder of the 2023/24 season and was additionally absent from the Euro 2024 squad as Spain claimed the title in Germany. He returned to motion in September 2024.
Roberto Baggio (Vicenza)
In the direction of the top of his ultimate season with first membership Vicenza, Roberto Baggio ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and the meniscus of his proper knee whereas taking part in towards Rimini.
Regardless of the damage, Baggio signed for Fiorentina in the summertime of 1985 and after lacking nearly all the marketing campaign at his new membership, the younger ahead went on to turn out to be maybe probably the most gifted participant in Italian soccer historical past.
Roy Keane (Manchester United)
Manchester United captain Roy Keane missed a lot of the 1997/98 season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in a sport towards Leeds United.
With out their skipper, United went on to lose the Premier League title to Arsenal, however he was again to play an enormous half in a sequence of successes within the years forward – together with the treble in 1998/99. Keane had been attempting to sort out Leeds midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland and the Norwegian’s accusation that the Irishman was feigning an damage sparked a long-running feud between the 2.
Francesco Totti (Roma)
In a sport towards Livorno in April 2008, Roma captain Francesco Totti tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his proper knee.
Totti ended up lacking the Coppa Italia ultimate, however took half within the celebrations after Roma’s victory towards Inter. The ahead underwent surgical procedure and was sidelined for 4 months in complete.
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Manchester United & AC Milan)
Zlatan Ibrahimović suffered severe ligament harm in his knee in a Europa League quarter-final conflict towards Anderlecht in April 2017 and went on to overlook the ultimate, watching from the sidelines because the Purple Devils beat Ajax 2-0 in Stockholm.
5 years later, the Swedish striker claimed he had performed half a season “with out an ACL” in his left knee, managing the ache with injections and minimal coaching as he helped AC Milan to the Serie A title.
Xavi (Barcelona)
Xavi was sidelined for half a season after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament tear in coaching at Barcelona in December 2005.
The midfielder was anticipated to overlook the rest of the marketing campaign, however was again in April and on the bench for the Champions League ultimate win over Arsenal. He additionally featured within the 2006 World Cup for Spain.
Alessandro Del Piero (Juventus)
Alessandro Del Piero was one of many world’s most interesting forwards in 1998 and the Italy icon hit 32 objectives in 47 matches because the Bianconeri received Serie A and reached the Champions League ultimate in 1997/98.
Del Piero was laid low by an anterior cruciate ligament damage picked up late in a sport towards Udinese in October 1998 and missed the rest of the season. Much less explosive upon his return, he went on to be vastly profitable in a barely deeper function and have become Juve’s all-time high scorer in a protracted profession in Turin.
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Virgil van Dijk was key for Liverpool within the Reds’ Champions League and Premier League titles in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
However the Dutch defender was sidelined for a lot of the 2020/21 season after colliding with Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in a derby at Goodison Park and missed 9 months of motion.
Alan Shearer (Blackburn Rovers)
Alan Shearer signed for Blackburn Rovers from Southampton in the summertime of 1992 and was rapidly among the many objectives for his new membership.
The previous England striker ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in a sport towards Leeds United in December and missed the remainder of the season. However he went on to be an enormous hit for Blackburn, serving to the membership win the Premier League title in 1994/95 and later happening to turn out to be the competitors’s main scorer in a protracted spell at hometown staff Newcastle United.
Dani Carvajal (Actual Madrid)
A LaLiga and Champions League winner with Actual Madrid in 2023/24, Dani Carvajal helped Spain to the Euro 2024 title later in the summertime.
Barely getting a break, Carvajal spoke publicly about how footballers have been taking part in too many video games. The best-back was subsequently sidelined by an anterior cruciate ligament damage in a match towards Villarreal in October 2024. Though set for a protracted spell out of motion, Madrid backed their participant by giving him a brand new long-term contract.
Neymar (Brazil)
Only a few weeks after overtaking Pelé to turn out to be Brazil’s all-time high scorer, Neymar was struck down by an anterior cruciate ligament damage taking part in for his nation in a World Cup qualifier towards Uruguay.
The previous Paris Saint-Germain ahead had solely performed just a few video games for brand spanking new membership Al-Hilal and was de-registered by the Saudi Professional League aspect throughout his restoration. He returned to motion in October 2024 after simply over a 12 months on the sidelines.
Rodri (Manchester Metropolis)
After taking part in 50 matches for Manchester Metropolis in 2023/24 and serving to Spain win Euro 2024 in the summertime, Rodri was laid low by a severe damage in September 2024.
The midfielder suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear following a collision with Arsenal’s Thomas Partey in a 2-2 draw with the Gunners and was on crutches as he acquired the Ballon d’Or in late October.
