Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi has revealed his Achilles tendon injury left him worried he would never play professional football again.
After being made to wait for a chance to shine at Stamford Bridge, the 18-year-old winger broke into the Blues first-team setup over the winter of 2018/19. He struck five goals in 24 games last term, impressing supporters and international selectors particularly during Chelsea winning Europa League run, before rupturing knee ligaments against Burnley in April.
Hudson-Odoi made his return to the pitch on 25 September during Chelsea's 7-1 trouncing of Grimsby Town in the League Cup, the youngster netting with a last-minute effort.
Speaking to Sky Sports about his time on the treatment table, the teenager said: "I wondered if I would be able to play again; that was my first thought. I knew I'd done something really serious, so I was really concerned.
"But, my family kept me confident that I'd be back to how I was. There were days when I would go into training and I would be sad or disappointed because I could see the boys outside training and you just want to be out there with them."
Hudson-Odoi continued to explain his mental state during recovery, stating: "I had the dark days, but at the same time I had positive days, as well. When it came, it was more anger for me because everything was going as I wanted it to go.
"I was playing games, I'd got called to the national team - everything was going perfectly. There were big games coming up. But, I knew when I came back I'd be stronger than I was before."
The teenager's stellar form prior to the incident versus Burnley saw England coach Gareth Southgate include him in the Three Lions' squad for matches with Czech Republic and Montenegro in March, with Hudson-Odoi performing well in both victories.
For more from Ed Alexander, follow him on Twitter!
Source :
90min
