Dejan Kulusevski Nearly Quit Football After Brutal Injury Setback
Dejan Kulusevski, the Tottenham winger, has shared how a serious injury almost ended his football career. The Sweden international missed the entire 2025-26 season after suffering a severe knee injury in the last game of the previous campaign.
The Injury Incident
The problem started during the final match of the 2024-25 season when Kulusevski clashed with Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi. A scan revealed that a piece of his cartilage had detached and moved inside his knee joint, an injury that doctors couldn’t easily fix.
His recovery was slow and difficult. After 526 days off the pitch, Kulusevski finally returned for brief appearances against Coventry and Chelsea.
A Painful Reality
Talking to Tottenham’s official site, Kulusevski described the moment he realized the seriousness of his injury. He said he initially felt some discomfort but didn’t think it was too bad. Over time, he noticed his knee was unstable.
"I remember the game, it felt like a great warm-up, then after 10 minutes I took a hit. It hurt, but not too much at first. Later, I could feel the knee moving too much. I broke my cartilage, and it flew out to another part of the knee. They can’t fix cartilage; the scan showed part of it was gone."
The Emotional Toll
The physical pain turned into mental strain. Kulusevski told his mother he might never play again, admitting defeat during one of their conversations.
"I told my mother, ‘Listen, I don’t think this is going to work out. I don’t think I can play anymore.’"
Missing Out on Tottenham’s Triumph
His absence meant missing one of Tottenham’s biggest moments: winning the 2025 Europa League by beating Manchester United. Kulusevski found it hard to celebrate while sidelined and on crutches.
"That was one of the hardest days of my life. It was wonderful to see everyone happy, but I struggled being there on crutches. I couldn’t even stand on the podium for the medal because it was too slippery."
He stayed behind in Barcelona since he couldn’t travel with the team, watching from afar as they celebrated.
Looking Forward Against Crystal Palace
Now back on the field, Kulusevski aims to regain full fitness and contribute to Tottenham’s push for a third straight win this weekend versus Crystal Palace. This match offers him a chance to move past his injury struggles and reestablish himself in the squad.
- Injury duration: 526 days
- Missed season: Entire 2025-26
- Return matches: Cameos vs Coventry and Chelsea
- Injury cause: Collision with Marc Guehi
- Key injury detail: Detached cartilage that could not be repaired
- Major missed event: 2025 Europa League final victory celebration
