James Madison was able to sit for the entire season after suffering an ACL injury, and his hopes of reaching Thomas Tuschel’s World Cup final against England have almost certainly been destroyed
Andy Dunn is Mirror’s main sports writer.
Whatever your opinion of Gary Neville, he has a keen view of almost every football issue. And when he looked back at the Manchester Derby, which was a heart-wrapping Manchester Derby last April, labeling it as “micromanaged and robots for Premier League players,” the person who was denied refused.
He was right. That’s why Thomas Frank and Tottenham Hotspur aren’t the only ones who miss James Madison while he’s recovered long from his latest injury.
It’s the Premier League, it’s the Champions League and it’s neutral. It must be a TV viewer and Thomas Touchel.
It is hard for the richness of soccer players to elicit sympathy in every medium, every bar, every stadium, the light of the top players. You know the response – oh, they’re making enough money.
They aren’t going down the mine or on the frontline. They can relax and count cash.
read more: Tottenham’s transfer stance against five targets who have looked to replace injured James Madisonread more: Premier League XI players are still about to complete transfers this summer
But it’s hard not to feel Madison. My dealings with him were relatively fleeting, but in every interview he was charming, funny and often self-deprecated.
One of these interviews was in Doha, ahead of Qatar in 2022, and was the first media event in an English camp. It was the first and undoubtedly the best Madison infectious characters lit up the room. He seemed to really enjoy his darts match with members of the press.
He said his World Cup call was a moment to “pinch me.” He said that contributing in every way is a dream.
It was then discovered that knee issues meant that Madison didn’t make one tournament appearance. After an ankle injury suspended the 2023-24 season, Madison was cut off from Gareth Southgate’s interim force for the Euro 24 Final in Germany.
“It’s not devastated,” Madison said at the time. There’s still time for Madison to add to his seven international caps – that last June as an alternative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but it’s not surprising if he doesn’t see him again in the English jersey.
It would be sad, but it won’t surprise you. Tuchel spoke to Maddison shortly after he began his short-term gig as England’s manager. If the 28-year-old Spurs midfielder could return to the pitch next spring, he could probably insist on being included in the German final party.
But the reality is that Madison is no longer likely to go to the World Cup next summer. Even if he takes months of action for the Spurs, they have to be a very special month.
He has to leave this world. After all, as Neville implied, modern football seems almost unrestrained, because even at the international level, for Maverick, Larikin, due to the talent of mercury.
Physical and mental tolls caught up in serious injury players should never be underestimated. And the injury Madison suffered is sadly not unusual, but rather Levi Colwill, a young Chelsea defender who suffered the same anterior cruciate ligament injury before the start of the season.
Football and its followers should both wish well. It’s a rewarding business and elite football, but it can also be brutal.
Join the new WhatsApp community and receive a daily amount of mirror football content. We also treat community members with special offers, promotions and advertising. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, you can read the privacy notice.
Sky Sports Discount Premier League and EFL Packages
£43
£35
Sky
Get the deal here
Sky has cut the prices of Essential TV and Sky Sports bundles ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering over 1,400 live matches in the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, showing an even greater increase of up to 100.
