The 11 players who could have been all time greats if their bodies hadn’t held them back.
Daniel Sturridge today blamed his injury proneness on his Caribbean heritage, but none of these players have that excuse.
This XI – including several world-class players – could all have achieved even greater things if they hadn’t spent half their careers on the treatment table.
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GK) Craig Gordon – Celtic
Remember him? Sunderland bought the stopper from Hearts for £9m, a then Premier League record for a goalkeeper.
Serious knee injuries restricted the stopper to just 88 appearances in five years on Wearside and he has only just returned to the game, signing for Celtic this summer.
RB) Phil Jones – Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson famously said that Jones could be one of United’s greatest ever players, but at the moment it looks like injuries will ruin that plan.
The Englishman can never get a run in the side because of injury and may never fulfil his potential because of that. Currently suffering from shin-splints.
CB) Nemanja Vidic – Inter Milan
What’s astonishing about Vidic is that he managed to be one of the world’s best despite his injury problems.
We can only imagine how much a of a legend he would have gone down as if his dodgy knees hadn’t robbed him of so much game time, and several yards of pace.
CB) Jonathan Woodgate – Middlesbrough
The centre-back was tipped for greatness, and made a rapid rise to the top, but his injuries always held him back.
He was even injured while he made his ill-fated move to Real Madrid, which made the transfer even more surprising at the time.
LB) Kieran Gibbs – Arsenal
Time flies when you’re always crocked – Gibbs, who it seems only yesterday was given his debut as a 17-year-old.
While he has developed into a great full-back, the Gunners man is now 25, and has spent a significant chunk of his career watching from the sidelines.
CM) Michael Essien – AC Milan
“The Bison” was sensational in his first few years at Chelsea, and was well on his way to becoming the most dominant central midfielder in the world.
The series of cruciate injuries he suffered just as he approached his peak prevented him from ever fulfilling that potential.
CM) Abou Diaby – Arsenal
Diaby’s injury problems are legendary, and are the best example of both the North Londoners’ ongoing medical isssues and Arsene Wenger’s amazing stubbornness.
The talented French midfielder has suffered more than 40 different injuries, and yet his manager always still believes that his next return to the field will be the end of them.
AM) Kaka – Sao Paolo
For a brief moment in Milan, Kaka was the best player in the world, where his graceful dribbling and accurate passing were the key to their success under Carlo Ancelotti.
Unfortunately the Brazilian’s big move to Madrid was ruined by a frustrating succession of injuries.
ST) Robin Van Persie – Manchester United
Arsenal stuck with van Persie through his chronic injury issues, and were finally rewarded when he had his huge breakthrough season.
The moment he had played a full season, and scored a hatful in the process, Manchester United came calling.
After a period of fitness however, van Persie’s injury issues seem to be returning.
ST) Alexandre Pato – Sao Paolo
European clubs fought for Pato before his move to Milan, with Chelsea reportedly coming close to signing the Brazilian.
The Blues will be happy they didn’t however, as the once heralded striker has never overcome serious injury problems and recently moved back to Brazil.
ST) Daniel Sturridge? – Liverpool
It’s perhaps too early to say whether Sturridge’s injuries will prevent him from fulfilling his potential, but the striker has already missed a lot of games in his career, and at this rate, we might one day be wondering how good he could have been.