# 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?

*By YPB Team · Published July 26, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-13-greatest-comebacks-from-injury-in-football-history*

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## Current results (3 votes)

1. **Ronaldo Nazario** — 66.67% (2 votes · score 1000/1000)
   Twice ruptured his knee, then returned to win the 2002 World Cup and its Golden Boot.
2. **Luke Shaw** — 33.33% (1 votes · score 692/1000)
   Came back from a double leg fracture in 2015 to score in a European Championship final.
3. **Radamel Falcao** — 0% (0 votes · score 609/1000)
   Fought back from a torn ACL to keep scoring across Europe's leagues.
4. **Santi Cazorla** — 0% (0 votes · score 473/1000)
   An ankle infection nearly cost him his foot, yet he returned to elite football and a Spain recall.
5. **Roberto Baggio** — 0% (0 votes · score 473/1000)
   Overcame repeated serious knee injuries to stay one of football's most beloved playmakers.
6. **Djibril Cisse** — 0% (0 votes · score 473/1000)
   Twice broke his leg badly and returned each time to score at the highest level.
7. **Rodri** — 0% (0 votes · score 387/1000)
   Tore his ACL in 2024, then returned to captain Spain to the 2026 World Cup and take the Golden Ball.
8. **Zlatan Ibrahimovic** — 0% (0 votes · score 387/1000)
   Ruptured knee ligaments at 36 and returned to keep scoring at the top level for years.
9. **Alan Smith** — 0% (0 votes · score 284/1000)
   Returned from a gruesome broken leg and dislocated ankle to extend his career.
10. **Virgil van Dijk** — 0% (0 votes · score 284/1000)
   Recovered from a 2020 ACL injury to reclaim his place among the world's best defenders.
11. **Alessandro Del Piero** — 0% (0 votes · score 158/1000)
   Ruptured his ACL as a young star in 1998 and fought back to a Juventus legend's career.
12. **Eduardo da Silva** — 0% (0 votes · score 158/1000)
   Suffered a horrific 2008 leg break and battled back to international football.
13. **Ruud van Nistelrooy** — 0% (0 votes · score 158/1000)
   Recovered from a knee injury that cancelled a transfer to become a prolific goalscorer.

Tags: football, players, injuries, comebacks