Football’s most freak injuries, from salad cream disaster to breaking jaw on carrot and ping-pong bust-up
PRETTY much every footballer has spent time on the sidelines during their careers.
Injuries are simply deemed part and parcel of the beautiful game.
But there are some crazy wounds suffered over the years that are simply so bonkers no one could have predicted them.
From kicking fridges in frustration to crunching teeth into a carrot, they simply could not be made up.
So SunSport have rounded up the most bizarre of them all…
SON HEUNG-MIN
The Tottenham captain returned from the Asian Cup with strapping on his fingers – after a ping pong bust-up on international duty.
SunSport revealed the South Korean got into a row over dinner when some of the younger members of the squad finished up early to get to the table tennis table.
Skipper Son was not impressed and an altercation broke out as the forward ended up with a dislocated finger.
To make matters worse, favourites South Korea were dumped out by Jordan in a shock semi-final exit.
CARLOS TEVEZ
Tevez was never too far from the headlines during his career – but his 2018 prison visit was wild even by his standards.
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He had just rejoined Boca Juniors in 2018 when he went to see his half-brother who was serving 16 years for armed robbery at a maximum security prison.
Tevez ended up playing football with inmates and pulled a muscle in his calf.
SVEIN GRONDALEN
The former Norway defender made a career in stopping attackers.
But when he allegedly tripped over a sleeping moose while running in the woods, he came off second best.
The angry moose did not appreciate the disturbance and charged at Grondalen, who took cover over a steep hill but rolled down and cut his leg.
RAPHINHA
The Brazilian forward took particular exception to being subbed off in a Europa League game against Barcelona.
He punched a seat on the bench in anger then lost his cool as he kicked a fridge… which then caused knee damage and sidelined him from Barca’s next match.
FRANK LAMPARD
Ex-Everton boss Frank Lampard suffered an injury after a freak accident, breaking his hand while celebrating Alex Iwobi’s late goal to clinch a vital victory against Newcastle in 2022.
Amid the chaos, Lamps took a whack to the left hand – it was shaking as he checked his watch in the final seconds.
And as he came on air to discuss the all-important three points, the ex-England midfielder was sporting a nasty bruise and lump.
He told Prime Video: “I’ve broken my hand in the celebrations. My bones must be going soft, I don’t remember the moment.
“I didn’t realise at the time but as the game carried on I was a bit sore and shaky.
“But I don’t care – I’ll take it for three points.”
RAMI KAIB
In 2021, Swedish footballer Rami Kaib was ruled out of action for weeks after breaking his jaw eating a carrot.
Kaib had already taken a knock during a league match for Dutch side Heerenveen.
But then he sustained the shock blow when getting his veggies in. Omrop Fryslan reporter Roelof de Vries told RTV Noord: “Kaib got a big knock on his jaw during a game a while ago.
“He just continued training, and of course eating. Well, he ate a carrot and that carrot was quite hard. And then, crack – broken jaw. A carrot!”
FRENKIE DE JONG
Frenkie De Jong suffered a bizarre injury in 2020 that looked painful and threatened to leave him sidelined.
The Barcelona midfielder showed off a swollen hand in his side’s 3-1 win over Napoli in a Champions League tie.
According to reports, the ailment was the result of a nasty bee sting that caused the severe reaction.
MARCO ASENSIO
Not many players have called in sick with an infected pimple.
But that’s exactly what happened when Asensio missed a Real Madrid Champions League clash in 2017 after shaving his legs.
ALAN WRIGHT
The former Aston Villa left-back was a cult hero in the Midlands.
But the 5ft 4in Wright once had a spell out the game after injuring his knee in the strangest way.
He did it trying to reach the pedals on his Ferrari. True story.
EVER BANEGA
Another car incident – but this time a bit more serious.
Banega forgot to put the handbrake on when filling up with petrol.
And his motor rolled back and trapped his leg against the curb – suffering a fractured tibia and fibula and needing ankle surgery.
CHRIS SMALLING
Ex-Manchester United defender Chris Smalling was on holiday in Bali, when disaster struck.
After local reports claimed he was stung by a jellyfish while out surfing – the truth eventually came out, and it wasn’t as exciting.
He fainted in the hot heat and banged his head, hence the bandages.
DAVE BEASANT
The Wimbledon FA Cup hero was at Chelsea when he suffered a hilarious foot injury.
The keeper dropped a bottle of salad cream in his kitchen and tried to control it with his bare foot.
The bottle ended up breaking and tearing a tendon in his big toe, causing Beasant to miss two months of football.
Clearly, he should’ve used his hands.
SAM HENDERSON
In one of the most baffling entries on this list, Queen of the South goalkeeper Henderson managed to get ruled out after being hit by a runaway cow.
Should have moooved out the way.
RICHARD WRIGHT
The former Ipswich stopper once got injured putting suitcases away into the attic.
Then in 2006 he ignored a ‘Keep out of the goalmouth’ sign during a warm-up and fell on it, damaging his ankle.
RIO FERDINAND
The former Manchester United and England captain managed to strain his knee while at Leeds.
Ferdinand rested his leg for too long while playing a game of Pro Evolution Soccer on his PlayStation.
We’ve all done it.
BRYAN ROBSON
Captain Dynamo was given the task of trying to wake mercurial star Paul Gascoigne from his slumber ahead of the 1990 World Cup.
Robson tried but couldn’t wake the midfielder, instead tipping the bed to push Gascoigne out.
Robson then dropped the bed onto his toe, breaking it.
KEVIN KYLE
While at Sunderland, the former Scotland international was once seen ‘walking a bit like John Wayne’.
It was all because his eight-month-old son knocked a bowl of boiling water onto his crotch.
Ouch.
LEROY LITA
At Reading, the striker managed to hurt his back by stretching too vigorously.
But this wasn’t done on the training pitch, no. It happened while laying in bed.
Steve Coppell said at the time: “It’s not an injury that should be ridiculed or made light of.”
DARIUS VASSELL
We’d definitely avoid recreating this one.
The ex-Aston Villa and England striker tried to get rid of a blood blister on his toe by using an electric drill.
It didn’t go well.
ADAM CHAPMAN
Former Oxford midfielder Chapman was heating some milk for his baby, a normally harmless job.
But as he went to shake it the lid flew off, burning his chest and nipple.
He had to go to hospital but was passed fit to play the next day.
DAVID JAMES
The former England shot-stopper has two entries.
He once pulled a muscle in his back while trying to reach for a remote control.
Another time, James hurt his shoulder while fishing for carp.
CHARLIE GEORGE
Arsenal legend George didn’t let this injury stop him.
The 1971 FA Cup hero once cut off a finger… with his lawnmower.
Thankfully, it wasn’t a leg.
KIERON DYER
When at Newcastle the former England star damaged his left eye – because he ran into a stationary training pole.
It wasn’t an eye-for-an-eye in this case, leaving Dyer with a nasty shiner.
SANTIAGO CANIZARES
The former Valencia No1 had waited an age to take over in the sticks of the Spanish national team.
He was given an opportunity in 2002, but just before the World Cup was about to start he dropped a bottle of aftershave on his foot.
Like Beasant, he severed a tendon and missed the tournament.
Butter fingers, perhaps?
ENNER VALENCIA
The former West Ham forward didn’t impress Sam Allardyce with this injury.
Somehow, Enner Valencia managed to badly cut his toe after stepping on a broken cup and leaving ‘Big Sam’ striker-less for his next match.
DAVID BATTY
The ex-Leeds United enforcer had been out injured with a knee problem.
Then, his two-year-old daughter ran over him while on her tricycle – causing a setback to his ankle.
The hardman was crocked by a two-year-old, which must’ve taken some explaining to his team-mates.
DARREN BARNARD
Former Stoke winger Liam Lawrence tripped over his dog on the stairs in 2008.
But nine years earlier, Darren Barnard managed to take a tumble after slipping on a pool of yellow liquid in the kitchen while house-training his puppy.
No doubt he was pretty pee-d off to spend five months out…
