The greatest career comebacks in football history – ranked

Football is full of ups and downs, and for some players, those downs can seem like the end of the road. Whether it’s a brutal injury, years of poor form, or even stepping away from the game entirely, plenty of stars have found themselves on the brink of obscurity. But some just refuse to give up.

Here are 10 footballers who made stunning career comebacks – defying all odds to not only play top-flight football once again but truly dominate the game.

Diego Costa has never been one to back down from a challenge, and his career comeback proved just that. After leaving Atlético Madrid in 2020, he spent a brief, uneventful spell in Brazil before disappearing from the big leagues. By 2022, many assumed he was done at the top level.

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Then came a surprise move to Wolves in the Premier League. While he wasn’t banging in goals like his Chelsea days, he still made his presence felt – helping them in their relegation battle and showing he still had some fight left in him.

Back in 2010, Aaron Ramsey suffered a horrific leg break after a brutal tackle from Ryan Shawcross. It was one of those injuries that could have ended a career right then and there.

But Ramsey didn’t just recover – he came back stronger. He played a crucial role in Arsenal’s FA Cup wins and became a key figure for Wales, leading them to their first World Cup in 64 years in 2022. For a player who once faced such a devastating setback, his comeback was nothing short of remarkable.

Zlatan’s career has been one long story of proving people wrong, but even for him, coming back from an ACL tear at 35 was a massive challenge. Many thought that was it for him at the top level when he suffered the injury playing for Manchester United in 2017.

Of course, Zlatan being Zlatan, he refused to fade away. He went to the MLS, dominated there, then returned to AC Milan at 38 and helped them win their first Serie A title in over a decade, per the BBC. He kept going until he was 41, making this one of football’s most impressive comebacks.

Adriano was once on track to be Brazil’s next great striker, but personal struggles, injuries, and off-field issues derailed his career. By the late 2000s, his decline seemed irreversible.

But in 2009, he made an emotional return to Flamengo in Brazil, where he won the league’s Golden Boot and helped his team win the league title. While his resurgence was short-lived, it was an incredible late-career display of the class that made him one of the best in the game. 

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Arjen Robben called it quits in 2019 after an incredible career at Bayern Munich. But just when everyone thought he was done, he shocked the football world by coming out of retirement in 2020 to play for his boyhood club, FC Groningen, at 36, after the club's fanbase petitioned for his return, per The Sun. 

Sure, injuries limited his impact, but the fact that he even attempted a comeback after stepping away from the game showed just how much he loved football.

In 2013, Francesco Acerbi’s career took a terrifying turn when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It wasn’t just about football anymore – his life was at stake.

After undergoing treatment, he didn’t just return to the pitch – he became one of Serie A’s most reliable defenders. He played a key role for Lazio and later Inter Milan, and in 2021, he helped Italy win the European Championship.

On a similar note, Eric Abidal was a rock at the back for FC Barcelona when he was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2011. After undergoing surgery, he made a stunning return to football, only for the disease to come back. This time, he needed a liver transplant, as the Independent reported. 

Most players would have retired, but not Abidal. He fought his way back onto the pitch and played professionally for a few more years, including a spell at Monaco. His comeback was about far more than football – it was a showcase of fighting spirit.

Back in 2000, Ruud van Nistelrooy was set to join Manchester United when disaster struck – a devastating ACL injury that kept him out for a year and threatened to put the brakes on his ability going forward. The deal collapsed, and it looked like it was lights for Van Nistelrooy in the top flight.

Fast forward to 2001, and he finally joined United. To almost everyone's surprise, he exploded onto the scene, scoring goals for fun and becoming one of the Premier League’s deadliest strikers. 

Roberto Baggio was no stranger to injuries, but his ability to bounce back time and again was incredible. In fact, his career nearly ended before it even started due to a severe knee injury as a teenager.

Though he always felt his injury, as Football Italia reported, he fought through it, went on to become Italy’s golden boy, won the Ballon d’Or in 1993, and led Italy to the 1994 World Cup final. Even in the twilight of his career, he was still pulling off magic at Brescia. 

No comeback in football history is more legendary than Ronaldo Nazário’s. In the late 90s, he was the most unstoppable striker in the world – until back-to-back knee injuries nearly ended his career. He spent nearly three years in and out of recovery, and many doubted if he’d ever play at the highest level again.

Then came the 2002 World Cup. Ronaldo didn’t just return to the pitch – he tore through the tournament, scoring eight goals (including two in the final) to lead Brazil to glory. He later revived his club career with Real Madrid and AC Milan, proving once and for all that you should never write off a true great.

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