Manchester City’s Rodri admits to career-ending doubts during nightmare ACL lay-off

• Rodri admits he questioned whether he would “ever play again” during his ACL recovery
• The Spain international says he is now “back, stronger than before” ahead of the World Cup
• Rodri sustained his ACL injury in Manchester City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September 2024

Rodri has opened up on the psychological toll of his ACL injury recovery, admitting there was a moment during rehabilitation where he doubted whether he would ever play professional football again.

The Manchester City midfielder sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in September 2024.

That paved the way for an 18-month road to recovery that included a premature comeback at the FIFA Club World Cup and subsequent hamstring and groin setbacks before he finally returned to consistent form in the second half of last season.

Now representing Spain at the FIFA World Cup in North America, Rodri has reflected on the doubts that crept in during the most difficult stages of his rehabilitation.

Rodri: I wondered if I would ever play again

Speaking to DAZN España, the 29-year-old said: “This is part of life. Not-so-good moments. You have to face it in the most positive way possible,” as relayed by Sport Witness.

“It was a time for reflection, recovery. It was difficult, I won’t deny, but you recover and come out stronger. Now I’m back, stronger than before.

“When I came back, I had some doubts about being able to play normally again. I felt very limited, a lot of pain.

“When you stop completely, your body brings out what it hasn’t been able to give you during that time. There was a moment of doubt where I wondered not just if I would return to my previous level, but if I would ever play again.

“I’ve proven that I have. I’ve returned to that consistency in my football. It’s a long road, that’s clear.”

What is the wider context for Rodri’s recovery?

Rodri’s return to consistent form in the closing months of last season was one of the defining subplots of City’s extraordinary run-in, with the Ballon d’Or winner instrumental in the wins over Arsenal, Chelsea and Brentford that kept the Premier League title race alive until the final weekend of the season.

Pep Guardiola had predicted as far back as October that “the best Rodri” would arrive at the World Cup and next season, having been candid about the difficulty of managing the Spaniard’s workload through the early stages of his comeback.

His words have aged well, with Rodri now representing Spain in North America as one of the tournament favourites’ key players and his contract future at the Etihad Stadium set to be resolved once the tournament concludes.