Football players are known for their incredible athleticism and endurance, but even the greatest players are not immune to serious injuries.
One of the most devastating injuries that can occur in football is a torn Achilles tendon.
The Achilles tendon is a crucial part of the body, connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone and allowing players to perform powerful movements such as jumping, running, and kicking.
When this tendon tears, it can bring a player’s career to a sudden halt, requiring extensive rehabilitation and a long recovery period.
Damage to this part of the foot affects a footballer’s ability to move or strike the ball.
It also hampers a player’s ability to dribble or run with the ball.
Many football players suffer injuries to their Achilles when it tears.
Here are some football players who tore their Achilles.
1. Ruben Loftus-Cheek
The young Chelsea midfielder suffered an Achilles injury during an end-of-season charity match against American Major League Soccer side New England Revolution in May 2019.
The injury ruled Ruben out of action for roughly a year. Loftus-Cheek made his competitive return to action against Aston Villa on June 21, 2020
2. Yakubu Aiyegbeni
Yakubu was a Nigerian striker who played in the English Premier League from the early 2000s to the early 2010s.
The former Nigerian international played for various EPL then, like Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, and Everton, where he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.
This happened during a league match against Tottenham Hotspur on November 30, 2008.
Aiyegbeni was ruled out for almost a year returning in late 2009.
3. Laurent Koscielny
The former France international was a mainstay with English side Arsenal over the 9 seasons that he spent with the Gunners.
Koscielny was renowned for his strong, aggressive defending and on-field leadership skills.
Towards the tail end of the 2017-2018 campaign, Laurent picked up an Achilles injury in a UEFA Europa League semi-final match between Arsenal and Atletico Madrid.
The injury ruled the French defender out of the France 2018 World Cup squad. He was out for roughly six months.
4. Keylor Navas
Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas missed the 2016 Copa America Centenario after an Achilles injury.
It was reported in May 2016 by Real Madrid that the goalie had suffered an Achilles injury which he underwent surgery for.
5. Claudio Bravo
Another goalkeeper who tore his Achilles was Claudio Bravo.
In August 2018, the phenomenal Chilean goalkeeper was injured during training, and after scans, it was revealed to be an Achilles rupture.
He was at Manchester City at the time and spent a lengthy spell on the sidelines after receiving treatment.
6. David Beckham
Former England captain and soccer icon David Beckham also suffered an Achilles injury during his playing career.
The former Manchester United legend tore his left Achilles tendon while playing on loan for Italian side AC Milan in March of 2010.
This ruled him out of that year’s World Cup tournament, but he eventually made a successful return to football after surgery was performed on the tendon.
7. Callum Hudson-Odoi
Hudson-Odoi is a winger who currently plays for German Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen, on loan from Premier League club Chelsea.
Just like his Chelsea teammate Loftus-Cheek the young Chelsea winger Callum also suffered an Achilles injury in April 2019 in first half of a match against Burnley, which ruled him out of the rest of the campaign.
Hudson-Odoi would recover a few months later in time for the 2019-2020 campaign.
8. Neil Webb
In 1989, just weeks after making a £1.5 million move from Nottingham Forest to Manchester United, former England midfielder Neil Webb suffered a ruptured Achilles.
He tore his Achilles while playing a match for England against Sweden in September 1989.
Webb was forced to spend seven months on the sidelines, and upon his return, he struggled to regain his form during his three years at Old Trafford, suffering from weight problems and other injuries.
Eventually, he returned to Forest before moving down to lower divisions.
9. Jonathan Walters
In March 2019, the Republic of Ireland’s Walters officially retired from professional football after accepting that he could not recover from a partially-ruptured Achilles tendon.
The former Burnley striker suffered the injury while playing for Ipswich on loan at Bolton as a substitute in September of 2018.
Initially, it was believed that he would be out of play for six months, but he struggled to recover from his Achilles injury and subsequently ended his career.
10. John Barnes
John Barnes is another famous soccer player who tore his Achilles, and this injury impacted his playing style.
In June 1992, while on England duty in Finland, the former Liverpool and England winger suffered a second rupture of his Achilles tendon.
This caused him to miss both the FA Cup final and the European Championship.
After undergoing surgery, Barnes was left with a noticeable scar, and upon his return five months later, he had lost the blistering speed that had previously established his reputation.
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