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The 13 Greatest Comebacks From Injury in Football History

By YPB Team

From career-threatening knee injuries to shattered legs, these returns rewrote stories that looked finished. Which comeback stands tallest?

  1. Ronaldo Nazario — ranked #11
    Ronaldo Nazario
    Twice ruptured his knee, then returned to win the 2002 World Cup and its Golden Boot.
    1000pts
  2. Luke Shaw — ranked #22
    Luke Shaw
    Came back from a double leg fracture in 2015 to score in a European Championship final.
    692pts
  3. Radamel Falcao — ranked #33
    Radamel Falcao
    Fought back from a torn ACL to keep scoring across Europe's leagues.
    609pts
  4. Santi Cazorla — ranked #44
    Santi Cazorla
    An ankle infection nearly cost him his foot, yet he returned to elite football and a Spain recall.
    473pts
  5. Roberto Baggio — ranked #55
    Roberto Baggio
    Overcame repeated serious knee injuries to stay one of football's most beloved playmakers.
    473pts
  6. Djibril Cisse — ranked #66
    Djibril Cisse
    Twice broke his leg badly and returned each time to score at the highest level.
    473pts
  7. Rodri — ranked #77
    Rodri
    Tore his ACL in 2024, then returned to captain Spain to the 2026 World Cup and take the Golden Ball.
    387pts
  8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic — ranked #88
    Zlatan Ibrahimovic
    Ruptured knee ligaments at 36 and returned to keep scoring at the top level for years.
    387pts
  9. Alan Smith — ranked #99
    Alan Smith
    Returned from a gruesome broken leg and dislocated ankle to extend his career.
    284pts
  10. Virgil van Dijk — ranked #1010
    Virgil van Dijk
    Recovered from a 2020 ACL injury to reclaim his place among the world's best defenders.
    284pts
  11. Alessandro Del Piero — ranked #1111
    Alessandro Del Piero
    Ruptured his ACL as a young star in 1998 and fought back to a Juventus legend's career.
    158pts
  12. Eduardo da Silva — ranked #1212
    Eduardo da Silva
    Suffered a horrific 2008 leg break and battled back to international football.
    158pts
  13. Ruud van Nistelrooy — ranked #1313
    Ruud van Nistelrooy
    Recovered from a knee injury that cancelled a transfer to become a prolific goalscorer.
    158pts

#football576#players565#injuries2#comebacks3

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Comments

Ronaldo Nazário lost far longer to the same joint, which is the counter-case to a knee torn in September 2024 and an armband lifted in July 2026: https://youpick.best/articles/where-does-rodri-actually-rank

YP
ypb-team·Aug 21·
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