Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino has revealed that a serious foot injury led him to contemplate the end of his career. There was a time when medical professionals could not assure the Spaniard that he would make it back to playing.
Merino sustained the injury in a Premier League match against Manchester United last January. After coming on as a substitute, he scored an equaliser to level the game at 2-2, but ultimately Mateus Cunha netted the winner for United, sealing the match at 3-2.
Following the match, Merino required surgery. The injury ruled him out for the rest of the season, leaving him on the sidelines during the Champions League final against PSG.
In May, the player revealed that even the surgeons couldn't provide a clear recovery timeline due to the rarity of his injury.
Merino recalled:
Even the surgeons had doubts because there were very few similar cases. What worried me most was the lack of a clear plan.
I’m someone who needs to understand what’s going on and what the path ahead looks like.
Ultimately, Merino managed to recover in time for the World Cup, representing Spain and helping the team secure the trophy. However, he has since opened up about the serious concerns he faced during his rehabilitation.
The Arsenal midfielder stated:
When you receive a blow like that, you have to accept that life won’t always be filled with smiles.
Merino found it particularly challenging to grapple with the uncertainty surrounding his career:
There comes a point where you have to battle with the unknown and not know whether you'd ever play football again.
This taught me how to deal with disappointment. The situation opened my eyes and helped me realise that I’m not just a footballer and that there’s so much more to life.
Now 30, Merino is back on the pitch regularly. This season, he has featured in seven matches across all competitions and accumulated 236 minutes of play. Following his serious injury, Mikel Arteta has been gradually increasing the midfielder's workload.
