Michail Antonio has returned to the pitch for the first time since his horror car crash.
The West Ham striker had been sidelined since December when his Ferrari smashed into a tree in Essex, leaving it wrecked.
The incident saw Antonio shatter his femur in four different places. He has since admitted he was lucky to survive, with images of the crash showing the front of the vehicle totally crumpled with the window smashed.
The 35-year-old spent more than three weeks in hospital recovering from his injuries. He has since been in attendance for West Ham matches and worked as a pundit for TNT Sports.
But news of any on-pitch action has been kept quiet as he continued the long road to recovery. Even so, he was included in Steve McLaren’s Jamaica squad for this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The Reggae Boyz played their first game in the early hours of Tuesday, taking on Guatemala in Carson City. While McLaren’s side were defeated 1-0, there was some positive news, with Antonio able to feature as a late sub.
In his first piece of game-time since his car crash, Antonio replaced Jonathan Russell with five minutes to play. Antonio was given a welcome reception by the crowd with a large section cheering as he came on.
Unfortunately, Oscar Santis’ first-half strike was enough to win the game for Guatemala. But Antonio’s return is still hugely positive news, with his future at West Ham still uncertain.
The Hammers confirmed earlier this month that they are yet to make a decision on Antonio’s future with his contract set to expire this summer. When announcing the decisions on the rest of their out of contract group, the club insisted they would wait on Antonio.
A statement from West Ham read: “Given Michail Antonio’s unique situation, following his serious road traffic accident in December 2024, there will be no formal decision and announcement on his future until such time that it is considered right and appropriate.
“However, as his current contract is also due to expire on 30 June, for the purposes of the Premier League Retained List procedure at the end of the 2024/25 season, Michail will be listed as a free transfer.
“As a long-serving, highly-respected player, and a much-loved member of the West Ham family, the Club’s absolute priority at this time is to support Michail personally in his journey to resume playing at the highest level.”
Antonio has made 323 appearances for the club since his arrival from Nottingham Forest and scored 83 goals. His return on Monday night fulfilled a promise he made back in March.
“Yes, 100%. I will play again,” he said. “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.
“People have always doubted me. My mental strength is something that I’ve always believed in and this is just another setback, and it is not going to stop me. The car was an absolute mess. It just made me realise how close I was to dying.”
Mirror
