Heartbroken Tottenham midfielder James Maddison has vowed to come back from the “lowest low” after he had successful reconstruction surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.
Maddison suffered a serious knee injury during Spurs’ pre-season friendly with Newcastle in Seoul on August 3.
It occurred months after a different knee issue ruled Maddison out of Tottenham’s Europa League final triumph over Manchester United in May and despite being set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines during a World Cup year, the 28-year-old promised to silence those who “mock” his misfortune.
Lowest low I’ve ever had. Heartbroken at the fact this injury has occurred at this time in my career. With the Super Cup tomorrow, the premier league season on the horizon, the exciting champions league campaign & it being a World Cup year for England it all feels very very cruel… pic.twitter.com/m0TgKlo8Sk
— James Maddison (@Madders10) August 12, 2025
“Lowest low I’ve ever had,” Spurs vice-captain Maddison said on X along with a picture of him on a hospital bed surrounded by his three children.
“Heartbroken at the fact this injury has occurred at this time in my career. With the Super Cup tomorrow, the Premier League season on the horizon, the exciting Champions League campaign and it being a World Cup year for England it all feels very very cruel but nevertheless the ACL reconstruction surgery was successful.
“To all my close friends and family, your support and love means absolutely everything to me.
“To those of you who have gone out of your way to message on social media platforms in support of me and my recovery even when we don’t know each other personally, I appreciate you all more than you’ll ever know so thank you.
“And lastly to those of you who doubt, hate and mock. You truly motivate me to levels I didn’t know I had inside of me so again, thank you. See you all on the other side.”
Maddison is expected to be sidelined for around nine months, but it may take up to a year and a half for the seven-cap England international to return to his previous best level – after he scored 12 times in 45 appearances for Spurs in the 2024-25 campaign.
Sports scientist Dr Rajpal Brar, who runs 3cb Performance rehab centres in Los Angeles and Valencia, told the PA news agency: “This is typically an eight- to nine-month return to play process for elite footballers but also depends on the full extent of the injury.
“For return to pre-injury levels, I’m typically looking around the 18-month mark.”
