Kimpembe, Reus: Footballers With Long Absences From Injuries
France and PSG center-back, Presnel Kimpembe carried out in a stretcher during a Ligue 1 match against Olympic Marseille. Photo Credit- Reuters
Injuries are an inevitable part of football, it is the tragedy and risk that comes with the sport. However, some players have suffered long-term setbacks that kept them out for extended periods, forever changing their careers. Following the return of Presnel Kimpembe from a long-term absence due to injury, this piece is set to discuss six footballers who have endured some of the longest absences due to injuries.
Presnel Kimpembe – 700 Days (Achilles Tendon Rupture)
Since this is the most recent story on players with prolonged absence due to injury. It is best we begin with PSG’s defensive leader Presnel Kimpembe has endured a brutal injury spell, missing over a year due to a serious Achilles tendon rupture. Kimpembe suffered a right Achilles rupture in February 2023. He underwent surgery that kept him out for the entire 2023/24 season, missing over 50 games for PSG due to this injury. His last game was in February 2023, during the 2022/23 campaign.
The impact of his prolonged absence due to injury left PSG with defensive struggles, forcing the club to rely heavily on Marquinhos and summer signings. Chances of him returning to the squad and resuming his defensive duties are still high, full match fitness is still an uncertainty and the fear that he may not get back his peak form or occasionally return to injury is still exists for most football enthusiasts.
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Marco Reus – 1,285 Days (Multiple Injuries)
Marco Reus is one of the most talented German footballers of his generation, but his career has been overshadowed by persistent injuries. The Borussia Dortmund legend has missed a total of 1,285 days (over three years) of football due to various injuries throughout his career.
Reus most notable injury was a devastating ankle ligament injury in 2017 kept him out for 259 days, forcing him to miss almost an entire season. With this prolonged injury issues Reus was notably ruled out of Germany’s victorious 2014 FIFA World Cup, a heartbreaking moment for the midfielder. Despite his injuries, Reus returned stronger, winning the German Cup with Dortmund and continuing to be a key figure for his club.
Ronaldo Nazario – 1,105 Days (Knee Injuries)
Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario. One of the greatest strikers in football, a two-time world cup and Ballon d’or award winner. Yet with such a remarkable achievement, he couldn’t withstand injury when it came knocking on the door of his career. He suffered two of the worst knee injuries in football history during his time at Inter Milan.
Most notable of his Injuries occurred in 1999, he suffered a serious knee injury, keeping him out for five months. In 2000, during his first game back, he suffered another knee ligament rupture, keeping him out for another 15 months. He missed over three years due to multiple setbacks. At his peak, Ronaldo was unstoppable, but these injuries nearly ended his career. He defied the odds, winning the 2002 FIFA World Cup with Brazil and the Ballon d’Or the same year.
Santi Cazorla – 668 Days (Achilles Infection & Surgeries)
Santi Cazorla’s career was nearly ended by a gruesome Achilles injury that led to multiple surgeries and a life-threatening infection. He suffered an Achilles tendon injury in 2016. He endured multiple surgeries to repair the damage, with doctors warning that he might never walk properly again, let alone play football, suggesting it is best he retires from the sport.
Cazorla was out of football for nearly two years (668 days). Despite this long-term absence due to injury which limited his bright career for English side Arsenal, Cazorla made a stunning return with Villarreal in 2018, even earning a call-up to the Spanish national team.
Abou Diaby – 1,554 Days (Multiple Injuries)
Abou Diaby’s career is often cited as one of the saddest cases of injuries ruining a promising player. The Arsenal midfielder suffered a series of injuries that kept him out for nearly four years combined. A horrific ankle break in 2006 after a reckless tackle changed the course of his career.Diaby total time missed was 1,554 days, nearly four full seasons out injured, missing crucial games and competitions that he could have used to establish a brilliant career.
The impact of this injury setback was not only keeping him out of football but every time he returned, another injury followed, preventing him from reaching his full potential. Diaby eventually retired in 2019 at just 32 years old due to injuries.
Virgil van Dijk – 302 Days (ACL Tear)
Dutch and Liverpool’s defensive leader Virgil van Dijk suffered a serious ACL injury in October 2020 after a collision with Everton’s goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the Merseyside derby. Due to this injury setback, Van Dijk missed 302 days of footballing action, ruling him out for almost the entire 2020/21 season.
With Van Dijk injury, Liverpool struggled especially in the disrupting opposition attacks in matches, failing to defend their Premier League title effectively and narrowly achieving a top-four finish, securing the fourth position. As expected of Van Dijk, who is referred to amongst sports enthusiasts as “the wall of Jericho” for Liverpool returned in 2021 and has since re-established himself as one of the world’s best defenders.
Conclusion
These players endured immense hardship, but many fought their way back to the top. While some, like Ronaldo and Cazorla, made heroic comebacks, others, like Diaby, were never able to fully recover. Football is a sport of highs and lows, and these stories remind us of the physical and mental toll the game can take on its players.
