Michail Antonio Stages Miraculous Football Comeback After Nearly Fatal Car Crash

Michail Antonio returned to competitive football on Monday evening, appearing for Jamaica in their surprising Concacaf Gold Cup loss to Guatemala.

Antonio suffered a serious car crash in December when his vehicle collided with a tree in Epping Forest, Essex during early December.

The 35-year-old striker remained in hospital throughout the month and was released on December 31st, 2024, after spending the holiday season recovering from surgery to repair his fractured femur.

Due to his age, there were early concerns about whether Antonio could return to playing professionally. He has not worn a West Ham United jersey since the incident but was considered healthy enough to be included in Jamaica's squad for this summer's Gold Cup tournament across the United States and Canada.

After his last appearance in West Ham's Premier League loss to Leicester City on December 3rd, Antonio entered the match as a substitute during the final five minutes of Jamaica's opening group match against Guatemala—the 1-0 loss to a nation ranked 43 positions below them in FIFA rankings was unexpected.

Antonio's contract with West Ham expires at the end of June, though the club has not reached a final verdict regarding his future. Commendably, the Hammers have stated they will wait for the "proper and suitable" moment before making any decisions on this matter.

In March, Antonio candidly discussed how near he came to losing his life in the crash, which might have been caused by severe weather conditions during Storm Darragh.

"The rear of the vehicle kept sliding out from under me, making me feel unsafe. I had owned it for three weeks and was already considering returning it," he shared with BBC One's Morning Live in March.

"It's strange, because throughout this entire experience, I've been told that I remained conscious and communicated with everyone - the officers, bystanders, and the person who discovered me," yet Antonio recalls "absolutely nothing"

He continued: "My leg was completely destroyed and they extracted me and applied a splint beside the vehicle. Everyone thought I was airlifted out, but the helicopter couldn't take off due to the storm, so I was transported by road to the hospital.

"[Viewing the wreckage of the car months afterward] created an unsettling sensation in my stomach. It made me understand how close I came to death. I had seen photographs but witnessing it firsthand was ten times more shocking. The vehicle was completely destroyed. It was challenging for me to process."