I’m an ex-Premier League star but after being stabbed in the head during a mugging, my career has never been the same

FORMER Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom has heartbreakingly revealed the long-lasting impact of being stabbed in the head three years ago.

The 29-year-old has been a free agent since being released by Derby in 2021.

And it was during his time with The Rams that he was the victim of an attack from an armed gang.

Wisdom, who played 22 times for Liverpool between 2012 and 2013, was stabbed in the head and buttocks after a party in 2020 when he refused to hand over his watch to “five guys with balaclavas and knives”.

He was assaulted and robbed of his watch, but did not head straight to hospital following the attack as he had not yet become aware he had been stabbed.

Speaking on the The Beautiful Game Podcast, he said: “I was at a place where I shouldn’t have been – at a party.

“But I think that time of year as it was lockdown I was quite eager to get out outside a bit without doing too much.

“When I was leaving there were like five guys, with balaclavas, knives and said ‘give me your watch’.

“I said ‘no’ so what else happens, we start fighting and yeah that was it. I drove home after the incident and then I realised I’ve been stabbed multiple times.”

When asked if he was by himself, he added: “Yeah I drove home by myself. Loads of people came out the party after five minutes of wrestling and they’ve ran off.

“I’m covered in blood in the street and I’m just like ‘f***’s sake,’ gone home and rang the ambulance from my house.”

The stabbing took place on Sunday, June 28 at 4.30am, the morning after Derby beat Reading 2-1 at Pride Park – with Wayne Rooney netting the winning goal.

Wisdom left Derby at the end of his contract after racking up 107 appearances.

Since then, he has had trials for Portsmouth, Birmingham City and Sheffield United, but has not signed for a club.

And Wisdom admits he has not been the same since being stabbed.

He added: “It was frustrating as when I’ve come out of hospital after like three days, I had a couple of operations, it was like my body just wasn’t the same. 

“I tried to get back into football and it wasn’t the same, I wasn’t getting the same output in terms of power or speed.

“It was hard to take and with that comes a lot of other niggles. I got stabbed in the head I got headaches. A little cut here (points to his chest) I couldn’t breathe that well when I came out of hospital because I had fluid on my lungs.

“I think I rushed coming back to football. So once I could walk, which was like three weeks I went straight back to football.

“As men we get ahead of ourselves. I played two games and I wasn’t right and my ego wouldn’t let me accept it.

“It was the last year of my contract and Derby were going through the financial issues so I remember speaking to my agent at the time I was like I’m going to play so I’m in the shop window and then rest in the summer. Then I ripped my groin.”

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk