Talk about footballers who cheated death and you’ll definitely want to mention Trent Alexander-Arnold. Near-death experiences are nothing short of incredible. The moment when your life flashes before your eyes, yet somehow you emerge unscathed.
Footballers Who Cheated Death
In the world of football, where we often focus on goals and victories, it’s equally important to acknowledge the extraordinary moments when the game of life takes an unexpected turn. Today, we delve into the stories of 10 remarkable footballers who cheated death and emerged stronger.
1. Trent Alexander-Arnold
Let’s start off with a recent incident. Barely a day before he was set to take the field for the Merseyside derby, Trent Alexander-Arnold found himself entangled in a harrowing motor accident triggered by the tumultuous Storm Babet.
As he navigated the dark night behind the wheel, an intense storm violently uprooted an electricity pylon, sending it crashing onto the car directly ahead of him. In a split second, Trent instinctively hit the brakes and swerved sharply to avoid catastrophe, albeit colliding with another vehicle in the process.
Thankfully, the silver lining in this dark cloud is that no one sustained any injuries. Nevertheless, the entire ordeal must have been an incredibly terrifying experience for all those involved.
2. Fernando Torres
Fernando Torres underwent a deeply unsettling incident during a match against Deportivo La Coruna a few years ago. His landing on the field was awkward, resulting in a significant head injury that sent shockwaves through the stadium.
In fact, there were reports of him losing consciousness on the pitch, prompting swift action from fellow players before medical professionals arrived. Diego Simeone, the coach, expressed his anxiety as he observed the ordeal from the sidelines.
Fortunately, subsequent medical examinations brought relief as they confirmed that no major injuries were sustained in the fall.
3. Christian Eriksen
The whole Christian Eriksen incident at Euro 2020. The entire world saw this happen in real time and it was one of the scariest things ever. Eriksen just suddenly slumped and went unconscious a few minutes to halftime. The Denmark captain Simon Kjaer was the first to the scene. He and his other teammates helped deliver first aid before the medics arrived.
The medics had to use a defibrillator to restart his heart. It was really scary, but after minutes of treatment, Eriksen regained consciousness and was taken to hospital. 8 months later, the midfielder returned to playing professional football after being fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.
4. Raul Jimenez
We witnessed a terrifying moment when Raul Jimenez suffered a loss of consciousness just five minutes into a Premier League match between Wolves and Arsenal. The incident occurred after a collision of heads between Jimenez and David Luiz, sending shockwaves through the stadium.
Jimenez received on-field medical attention for a brief period before being transported to the hospital for further evaluation. The following day, the grim news surfaced – Jimenez had suffered a fractured skull, necessitating immediate surgery.
Several months later, Jimenez made a triumphant return to professional football. However, medical professionals advised him to wear a protective head guard for the remainder of his playing career, a reminder of the seriousness of his injury and the importance of player safety.
5. Petr Cech
Cech’s head guard was not just a fashion statement, it was something he had to wear to protect his head after the incident he suffered during a Premier League game back in 2006. It was a match against Reading, and in the first minute of the game, the goalie’s head collided with Stephen Hunt’s knee, and honestly, it wasn’t looking good. It was reported that he had a depressed skull fracture and had to undergo surgery.
3 months after the surgery, the Czech goalkeeper was back playing for Chelsea, this time with a new rugby-style headgear he could never take off while on the pitch. But you wanna know how scary that injury was? Cech said in an interview that he had absolutely no memory of the collision and the injury. In fact, he couldn’t remember anything after the handshakes and the coin toss at the beginning of the match.
6. Neymar Jr.
Before becoming a football sensation, Neymar Jr. survived a terrifying car crash as a child. This incident harkens back to the 90s when he was just a young boy. He and his family were on their way back from an outing one fateful night when a crazy storm caused an onrushing vehicle to crash into them.
Neymar Sr. narrated the story saying he was stuck in the seatbelt and for some time couldn’t find his son anywhere. His wife had crawled out of the wreckage via the rear windshield but she still couldn’t find Neymar Jr. It was very, very scary.
It was not until some Good Samaritans came to help the family that they found the kid under the back seat of the car. He had some cuts, but after he was taken to hospital, he was just fine. Just imagine what the modern football world would have been like without Neymar. Thank God he survived that car crash.
7. Cristiano Ronaldo
We’re also very grateful for Cristiano Ronaldo’s survival after a harrowing auto crash in 2009. At the time, he was still a part of Manchester United.
It all began on a day when Ronaldo woke up late, and the prospect of missing training loomed large. Eager to avoid any reprimand from the formidable Sir Alex Ferguson, he hopped into his Ferrari and hit the accelerator.
However, in his race against the clock, disaster struck. The Portuguese forward collided with a roadside barrier, resulting in a deafening impact.
Photographs of the aftermath revealed the severity of the accident, showcasing the mangled remains of his car. Yet, in a stroke of incredible fortune, Cristiano Ronaldo emerged from the wreckage completely unscathed, defying the odds and evoking a collective sigh of relief from football fans around the world.
8. Sead Kolasinac and Mesut Ozil
Talking about the crazy event with Sead Kolasinac and Mesut Ozil from their time at Arsenal. This is one for the record books!
Kolasinac was leaning over Ozil’s car when, out of nowhere, two guys on a motorcycle showed up, trying to steal the car. What happened next was truly remarkable. Kolasinac, with no weapons, stood up to these guys, even though they had knives.
This could have turned really ugly. The guys might have gotten angry and hurt Kolasinac, but luckily, that didn’t happen. It must have been a really scary situation for both players. An eyewitness even said that Mesut Ozil looked absolutely terrified, which is totally understandable in a situation like that.
9. Sergio Rico
Sergio Rico had a serious head injury while riding a horse in Spain on May 28, 2023. The horse accidentally stepped on his head and neck, causing him to go into a coma that lasted for three weeks. Doctors said he was very lucky because if the injury had been just a bit deeper, it could have been fatal. The good news is that he was released from the hospital on August 18, 2023
10. Sergio Aguero
Let’s close our list with Sergio Aguero. Just five months after his move to Barcelona in 2021, he encountered an alarming situation during a La Liga game against Alaves. He experienced chest discomfort and had to be substituted.
After a thorough examination, the cause of his discomfort was identified as cardiac arrhythmia, a heart irregularity. Initially, there was hope that he could return to football after three months. However, as time passed, the doctors reevaluated the situation and concluded that this would pose a significant risk to his life. Consequently, they advised him to retire from professional football altogether.
These stories of footballers who survived life-threatening situations remind us that the beautiful game isn’t always just about goals and wins. The resilience and bravery displayed by these athletes, both on and off the pitch, are truly inspirational.
If you know of more footballers who have defied the odds, feel free to share their stories in the comments.
