THEY don’t just get injured on the football pitch.
Last year, Frenkie De Jong suffered a bizarre injury 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.
That’s prompted SunSport to look back at some of the weird and wacky injuries to befall other footballers over the years.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The incident left ‘Big Sam’ striker-less for his next match.
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?
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.
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 England man 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.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
