Thursday, May 6, 2021 at 11:51 AM• Rian Rosendaal

Eljero Elia speaks in an interview with Football International about the ‘toughest period in his entire career’. The wing attacker of FC Utrecht was sidelined for months due to a hamstring injury and that period was very difficult for him, he freely admits. Elia now mainly wants to play football again on a weekly basis and the now 34-year-old winger secretly hopes for another year in De Galgenwaard.

“I have been away for almost three months. It seemed as if I was no longer there at all,” said Elia, who received a starting place for the second time in a row from trainer René Hake in the home game against Willem II (3-2) last weekend. . The road to full recovery was sometimes pretty lonely. “This was the toughest period in my entire career. If you break an ankle, you know: this is it and it will take so long. But this was more difficult. Also because I have that urge to prove it. I want to show that I still have it. “

Patience has been the magic word for Elijah in recent months, despite all the mental and physical challenges. “Day in, day out, you drive from The Hague to Utrecht. And then you don’t play, you watch. That is really tough mentally. Then you are disappointed and angry, but you cannot express that to your team. You must stay positive, but sometimes you break inside. ” In any case, it is a tough season for Elia, because he contracted the corona virus and his daughter became seriously ill. This was followed by the hamstring injury that eventually took him three months.

All in all, a rotten year for the ex-player of ADO Den Haag, FC Twente and Feyenoord, among others. I would have expected more from it, but that probably applies to everyone. Elia is stuck in Utrecht until mid-2022 and the wing attacker is therefore looking for sporting revenge after the summer break. “I want to perform, nothing else. Just play football, have fun. Whether I will continue for another year? As it looks now, I do. I still have a contract. But I want to end this season properly first, then we will evaluate it. “