Soccer is the most popular sport in the world loved by millions. We all have our favorite players and we can’t wait to see them play in important matches. When our hero gets injured and taken off the court we pray to god that it’s nothing serious. But soccer legends go through many risks during their careers. Only the truly great ones manage to come unscathed and keep on being legends. You have to admit if you’re not a real soccer player and spend your days trying the Martingale system simulator, you still know the most popular players in the world.
So let’s see what are the top ordeals our soccer superstars can go through during their soccer careers.
Injuries
Injuries are quite common in soccer. Players get hurt all the time and sometimes they even have to undergo serious surgery due to extensive damage or complications. No player is immune to injuries and they are the leading factor in ending a player's career. Italy is a well-known country where super megastars from the past got brutal injuries. This is a tough league where contacts are often overlooked by referees and there are some incredibly brutal defense players. They don’t really care if they will hurt the opposing player as long as they save their goal.
The most common injuries soccer players face are:
- Ligament tears
- Knees injuries
- Broken ankles
- Shoulder dislocation
- Spine Injuries
Injured or torn ligaments in the knee like the ACL and the Meniscus are the most common injuries among soccer players. But shoulder dislocations are quite common as well, especially after a hard fall trying to get to a flying ball. Due to the constant strain on the lower back, players can often end up with lower back strains and herniated disks.
Traded to other teams
We are used to seeing soccer players being traded from one team to another. The reality of the game is that the club owns you and can decide to trade you or not extend your contract. This can be heartbreaking for many players, especially if they were part of the youth team and wanted to spend their entire career playing for the same team. Most of them simply don’t want to play for other teams and hope to end their soccer legend with the same team they started with. But no one is immune to being let go, as Messi clearly found out when his contract wasn't extended by Barcelona.
Divorce
We don’t really have an insight into the players' personal lives until they become the focus of attention. Divorce is nothing new in the celebrity world. Success players and models go very well together until the time for divorce comes. This is where things get messy and the public gets a front-row seat of the action.
Players go through emotional turmoil which can greatly affect their game. They also face financial loss, paying huge amounts to their now former spouse. That is unless you are Achraf Hakimi and your mother is in charge of your wealth. This was a legendary move as his now ex-wife walked out of divorce court with nothing to show for it.
Falling out of shape
There are countless examples where star players simply fell out of shape once they reached a certain level in the game and made a name for themselves. It seems this is a curse many players can’t escape. Being at the top of your game requires dedication and lots of hard work. Some players simply can’t keep that level of commitment. You surely remember the megastar Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima. He was once considered the best player in the world and no one could come close to his level of talent. But after getting injured in the Calco league many times, he got a bit thick around the waist and never managed to get his form back. Even José Mourinho said about him that he was pure talent, but a very lazy player who never liked to train. Another example of this is the legendary Adriano Leite Ribeiro. Once his career ended he quickly went through his wealth and ended up living back in the favelas.
Substance abuse
Substance abuse is another risk that comes with world glory. Many players ended up losing everything they earned in their careers and had nothing to show for it. In many cases, this was due to substance abuse and in some cases, this addiction cost them their career. The best example of this was Diego Armando Maradona. Considered to be the best player in the world along with Pele, Maradona’s addiction to cocaine was no secret. Eventually, he was banned from playing after testing positive numerous times and that was the end of his magic on the field.