Thomas Vermaelen, Franck Ribéry, Neymar Jr.

The 11 Most Injury-Plagued Players in Modern Football History

September 29, 2025 Aksel Kryhlmand

Injuries are part of football, but for some players they became the dominant theme of their careers. While a handful of stars seem to glide through season after season barely missing a match, others have faced a relentless cycle of treatment tables, rehabilitation programs, and heartbreaking setbacks. These players possessed world-class ability, but their progress was constantly interrupted, leaving fans forever wondering how high they might have climbed without persistent injuries.

This ranking examines the 11 footballers who endured the harshest battles with fitness in the modern era. Using data such as total days sidelined, games missed, and number of injuries sustained, it reveals just how cruel the sport can be. Some of the names are global icons who still achieved greatness despite endless interruptions. Others, though, never reached the heights their early potential promised.

From dazzling wingers and commanding defenders to strikers who once terrorized backlines, this list is both a celebration of their talent and a reminder of football’s fragility. For every Bruno Fernandes who seems almost immune to injury, there are players like Abou Diaby and Stevan Jovetić whose bodies betrayed them time and time again.

Here are the 11 most injury-plagued players in modern football history.

#11. Holger Badstuber

Rising through Bayern Munich’s ranks, Holger Badstuber looked destined for a long and decorated career. But injuries halted him at every turn. Over 22 separate setbacks, he spent 1,305 days sidelined and missed 212 matches. His dream of becoming a Bayern icon never fully materialised, though he still enjoyed spells at Schalke, Stuttgart, and Luzern before retiring at 33. In his farewell, he admitted he wished for fewer injuries but remained grateful for his career.

#10. Ronaldo Nazário

Ronaldo was arguably the most devastating striker of his generation, yet his knees became his greatest enemy. Across just eight serious injuries, he was out for 1,324 days and missed 159 matches. His comeback attempt after one layoff ended in horror when his kneecap “exploded,” leaving the football world stunned. Despite these brutal setbacks, he twice won the Ballon d’Or and left an unforgettable legacy of brilliance against all odds.

#9. Franck Ribéry

Over the course of his glittering career, Franck Ribéry suffered a staggering 72 separate injuries. Altogether, he missed 227 matches and spent 1,363 days off the pitch. His electrifying wing play, especially alongside Arjen Robben at Bayern Munich, thrilled fans, but one can only imagine how much more damage he might have inflicted had his body held up. Retiring at 39, he admitted recurring knee pain left him no choice but to stop.

#8. Thomas Vermaelen

The Belgian centre-back’s talent was unquestioned, but his body consistently let him down. Across 35 injuries, Vermaelen missed 267 matches and spent 1,366 days out of action. His transfer from Arsenal to Barcelona was clouded by doubts about his durability, and unfortunately those doubts proved justified. Despite winning trophies in several countries, his career is remembered as much for time in the treatment room as on the pitch.

#7. Vincent Kompany

A colossus for Manchester City, Kompany’s leadership and defensive quality defined an era. Yet injuries constantly disrupted his rhythm. With 31 setbacks, he missed 176 matches and was sidelined for 1,419 days. Calf and shin issues in particular plagued his later years, restricting him to fewer than 20 league appearances in each of his final four seasons at City. Nevertheless, his influence was so profound that he retired as a Premier League legend.

#6. Marco Reus

Few modern players embody both brilliance and misfortune like Marco Reus. Over his Dortmund career, he endured 73 different injuries, missing 172 matches and spending 1,421 days unavailable. Each time he returned, he sparked his team to life, only for another setback to strike. Even in the twilight of his career with LA Galaxy, injuries continued to follow him. His story remains one of immense talent never allowed a full, uninterrupted run.

#5. Jack Wilshere

Once hailed as England’s great midfield hope, Jack Wilshere burst onto the scene with dazzling composure. But his career quickly became a battle with his own body. Across 18 injuries, he was sidelined for 1,470 days and missed 214 matches. Retiring at just 30, he moved into coaching with Arsenal’s U18s. Wilshere’s story is bittersweet: a prodigy who gave glimpses of greatness but became a symbol of wasted potential through injury.

#4. Arjen Robben

The Dutch winger is remembered for his trademark cut-inside finish, but also for an injury record that shaped his career. Across 58 separate injuries, Robben missed 243 matches and spent 1,507 days recovering. Remarkably, he still managed to establish himself as one of the finest wide players of his era, starring for Chelsea and Bayern Munich. His crowning moment came in 2013, when he scored the winner in the Champions League final.

#3. Neymar Jr

Neymar’s career promised a Ballon d’Or, but injuries consistently clipped his wings. With 44 separate injuries, he missed 277 matches and endured 1,512 days on the sidelines. Many setbacks came at the worst possible moments, often just before major tournaments with Brazil. At Barcelona he dazzled as part of the iconic MSN trio, but the interruptions stopped him short of immortality. Now back at Santos, his twilight years remain overshadowed by repeated knocks.

#2. Stevan Jovetić

Once tipped as one of Europe’s brightest strikers, Stevan Jovetić never escaped the injury cycle. Over 35 setbacks, he missed 214 games and spent 1,524 days out. His spell at Manchester City, where he arrived as one of their most expensive signings at the time, was derailed by fitness issues. Though he showed flashes of quality in Italy, Spain, and later with Olympiacos, his career is remembered as one defined by frustration.

#1. Abou Diaby

Andrei Voronkow(Red) og Abou Diabi (White) — IU Liquid and water photo / Shutterstock.com

No player epitomises wasted potential through injury more than Abou Diaby. Across 42 injuries, the Arsenal midfielder missed a staggering 307 matches and was sidelined for 1,747 days—nearly five full years. Tall, elegant, and technically gifted, he had all the tools to become one of the Premier League’s best. Instead, his legacy is one of unfulfilled promise, cruelly stolen by injuries that never let him showcase his full ability.