The 13 Greatest Comebacks From Injury in Football History

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

1. 1
   Ronaldo Nazario

   Twice ruptured his knee, then returned to win the 2002 World Cup and its Golden Boot.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Luke Shaw

   Came back from a double leg fracture in 2015 to score in a European Championship final.
   692pts
3. 3
   Radamel Falcao

   Fought back from a torn ACL to keep scoring across Europe's leagues.
   609pts
4. 4
   Santi Cazorla

   An ankle infection nearly cost him his foot, yet he returned to elite football and a Spain recall.
   473pts
5. 5
   Roberto Baggio

   Overcame repeated serious knee injuries to stay one of football's most beloved playmakers.
   473pts
6. 6
   Djibril Cisse

   Twice broke his leg badly and returned each time to score at the highest level.
   473pts
7. 7
   Rodri

   Tore his ACL in 2024, then returned to captain Spain to the 2026 World Cup and take the Golden Ball.
   387pts
8. 8
   Zlatan Ibrahimovic

   Ruptured knee ligaments at 36 and returned to keep scoring at the top level for years.
   387pts
9. 9
   Alan Smith

   Returned from a gruesome broken leg and dislocated ankle to extend his career.
   284pts
10. 10
    Virgil van Dijk

    Recovered from a 2020 ACL injury to reclaim his place among the world's best defenders.
    284pts
11. 11
    Alessandro Del Piero

    Ruptured his ACL as a young star in 1998 and fought back to a Juventus legend's career.
    0pts
12. 12
    Eduardo da Silva

    Suffered a horrific 2008 leg break and battled back to international football.
    0pts
13. 13
    Ruud van Nistelrooy

    Recovered from a knee injury that cancelled a transfer to become a prolific goalscorer.
    0pts

Comments 1