West Ham United Forward Michail Antonio Determined to Return After Surviving Life-Threatening Car Accident
West Ham United forward Michail Antonio has expressed his unwavering determination to return to professional football after surviving a life-threatening car accident in December. The incident occurred on December 7 in Epping, Essex, when his vehicle crashed into a tree, leaving him with severe injuries.
In a hopeful update, Antonio revealed that he is already months ahead of schedule in his recovery process. “Yes, 100%. I will play again,” he told the BBC in an interview published on Monday. While he admitted to confronting the possibility of his career ending, he remains focused on his comeback.
“That’s what I am focused on and why I am working six days a week,” Antonio said. “I’ve always been positive from this situation. It’s a horrendous accident, and it’s a massive injury. It’s the biggest injury I’ve ever had in my career. But the fact that I’m already two to three months ahead of where I should be, I know that I’ll play again, and I know that once I’m playing the game, I’ll get the sharpness back.”
Antonio had been a key player for West Ham this season, making 15 appearances under former manager Julen Lopetegui before the accident occurred. The forward suffered a shattered femur bone in four places, requiring surgery to insert a pole and four bolts to stabilize the injury.
“My first surgeon said he didn’t want me to put any weight on my leg for three months, which is around about now, and you can see that I am walking,” Antonio explained. “We got a second specialist who said I needed to start putting weight on it, increasing from 10% up to 100% within three weeks. But I kept my crutches for a further two weeks. Overall, they say it will be between six to 12 months before my leg starts healing properly.”
Despite the challenges, Antonio remains optimistic and committed to his recovery, aiming to return to the pitch and continue his career at the highest level.
