The 10 most disappointing comebacks in football history – ranked

Football fans love a great comeback story, but not every return to the pitch ends in triumph. For some players, injuries, age, or just the passage of time meant that their much-hyped comebacks turned into major disappointments.

Here are 10 football comebacks that reinforced that adage that it's better to quit while you're ahead.

When Kaka returned to AC Milan in 2013, fans were dreaming of the dazzling playmaker who won the Ballon d’Or in 2007. While he had shown flashes of brilliance at Real Madrid, injuries and inconsistency had held him back. His second stint at Milan was underwhelming, with just one season before he left for MLS.

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He was still a classy player, but the magic that once made him unstoppable was gone.

Joe Cole was once the golden boy of English football, dazzling fans with his flair and skill. When he returned to West Ham in 2013, the club where he made his name, fans hoped for a vintage version of the playmaker.

Though he managed to pick up five goals, he clearly lost that spark that the Hammers' fans desperately wanted to see again – a far cry from the electric talent he once was.

Robbie Fowler was a goal machine for Liverpool in the 90s. In fact, so elevated was Fowler at Anfield he even picked up the nickname "God" – it doesn't get any higher than that, does it? When he returned to the club in 2006 after stints at Leeds and Manchester City, it was a romantic story – but not a particularly successful one.

Though he chipped in with a few goals, he was far from the clinical finisher of his prime, and his second spell at Liverpool ended quietly after one season.

Torres’ return to Atlético Madrid in 2015 was an emotional one – coming back to the club where he became a star. And while he had a few bright moments, including some crucial goals in big games, he was never the prolific striker he once was.

In fact, he came off the bench for much of his first season back, as noted by Bleacher Report at the time. His pace was gone, his finishing inconsistent, and by the time he left for Japan in 2018, it was clear his best days were long behind him. Two seasons too many?

Robben’s decision to come out of retirement in 2020 to play for his boyhood club FC Groningen was a heartwarming story – but his body had other ideas. Injuries plagued his comeback, limiting him to just a handful of appearances and no goals before he hung up his boots for good.

Unlike some failed comebacks, Robben didn’t tarnish his legacy, but it was a return that simply never got going.

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Paul Pogba’s return to Juventus in 2022 was meant to rekindle the magic of his first spell in Turin, where he won multiple league titles and became a world-class midfielder. Instead, it’s been a disaster. Injuries kept him out for nearly the entire 2022/23 season, and just when he was hoping for a fresh start, he was hit with a doping ban in 2023, as Sky Sports reported.

Even for someone who surprises as much as Pogba, this was a bit too much. While his ban was reduced from four years to 18 months, and he can return to the field in March 2025, it's unlikely we'll see him playing in an elite competition again.

When Arsenal legend Thierry Henry rejoined the club on loan in 2012, fans were beyond excited. He even had a dream start, scoring a late winner in the FA Cup against Leeds, as the Guardian reported at the time, proving that his finishing touch was still there.

But beyond that moment, Henry’s return was largely forgettable. He played just a handful of games before heading back to MLS, leaving fans wishing they’d kept the memory of his prime intact instead.

Rooney’s return to Everton in 2017 was meant to be a fairytale ending – coming back to the club where he started his career. He even made an instant impact, scoring a stunning goal from inside his own half against West Ham.

But over the season, it became clear that Rooney’s legs were gone, and while his football IQ was still sharp, he couldn’t carry Everton like he once did. He left after just one season, with his return feeling more like nostalgia than a true comeback.

Mario Götze was once tipped to be one of the world’s best, scoring the winning goal for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. But injuries and a metabolic disorder stalled his career, leading to an underwhelming spell at Bayern Munich.

When he returned to Borussia Dortmund in 2016, fans hoped for the resurgence of their former wunderkind. Instead, Götze was a shadow of his former self – struggling with form, fitness, and confidence. While he found stability at Eintracht Frankfurt, his second stint at Dortmund was a major letdown.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United in 2021 was meant to be the perfect homecoming. He started off brilliantly, scoring key goals and proving he still had plenty left in the tank.

But things quickly unraveled. As United struggled, Ronaldo became visibly frustrated, and by his second season, he was dropped from the starting line-up. His controversial interview with Piers Morgan, where he slammed the club and manager Erik ten Hag, led to his contract being terminated mid-season. Instead of a legendary return, it ended in an ugly breakup.

Now playing in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo is still racking up the goals, but his second spell at United remains one of the most disappointing comebacks in football history.

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