The extent of Usain Bolt’s Soccer Aid injury has been revealed, with the multiple Olympic gold medalists sharing a photo from his hospital bed.
Bolt, 37, took part in the charity football match once more in June as part of a World XI. It was his sixth appearance in the fixture, which raised millions for Unicef, and he wore the captain’s armband at Stamford Bridge.
Sadly for Bolt, his evening came to an early end in West London. He went down injured while attempting to close down former England international striker Jermain Defoe and eventually had to leave the field on a stretcher.
He later revealed he had suffered a ruptured Achilles, the kind of injury which can keep professional footballers out for months. The injury was serious enough for Bolt to require surgery, which has now taken place.
The Jamaican confirmed the surgery had been successful, sharing a photo of himself sitting atop a hospital bed with crutches and his foot in a cast. The road to recovery has now begun, though it remains to be seen whether he will return to Soccer Aid action in 2025.
There were plenty of messages of support for the fastest man on earth, who holds the world record over 100m and 200m. “Sub 9 seconds when the recovery is complete. Here we go,” joked one.
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Plenty of others sent simple “get well soon” messages, while others wished him a speedy recovery. “Rest and heal well,” was the response from another.
The 2024 Soccer Aid match marked the first time the England XI have beaten their rest-of-world opponents since 2018. Both teams included former professional footballers in their ranks, as well as other athletes including Bolt and celebrities such as actor Danny Dyer and comedian Lee Mack.
It was 2-2 at the break, with Joe Cole and Ellen White on target for England and Eden Hazard and Alessandro Del Piero netting for their opponents. White’s goal, which followed good work from Jack Wilshere, marked the first time a female player has scored in the fixture.
In the second half, England rang the changes and ran away with the game. Dragon’s Den businessman Steven Bartlett scored twice after the break as England ran out 6-3 victors on the night.
