Former Tottenham Hotspur forward Lucas Moura considered retiring in the dressing room after suffering a ruptured right Achilles tendon while playing for Sao Paulo in May, goal.com reported. The 34-year-old Brazilian attacker feared for his career during a 2-2 Campeonato Brasileiro draw against Bahia, with his club contract expiring at the end of the calendar year.
The May 3 injury struck barely thirty minutes into Moura’s comeback match. He had spent nearly two months on the sidelines after fracturing two ribs against Atletico Mineiro on March 18. Facing a recovery timeline stretching close to twelve months, the veteran worried about finding himself without an employer while still in rehabilitation.
“In the heat of the moment, when I got to the dressing room, I confess it crossed my mind,” Moura recalled in an interview with GE, as reported by goal.com. “Because once it was confirmed right there, what you usually hear about an Achilles tendon is that it takes ten months to a year to return. I thought: ‘My contract ends in December. Where will I be? Will I be without a club?’ That doubt creeps in.”
Surgery, Rehabilitation, and a Crucial Shift in Perspective
The day following the match against Bahia, Dr Moises Cohen performed successful surgery on May 4 at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. Medical staff informed the playmaker that he faced a minimum of six months away from the pitch.
Struggling to process the layoff, Moura pointed to his wife for changing his mindset and driving his recovery efforts. Following the operation, she offered a direct perspective that altered his approach to the rehabilitation process.
“Babe, imagine how many people enter a hospital not knowing if they’ll leave tomorrow,” Moura recalled her saying, according to goal.com. “You have an injury where, in six months, you’re recovered. That was a wake-up call for me. We’re going to come out stronger. That flipped the switch for me. Let’s work, let’s do everything I need to do.”
Return to the Pitch and the Upcoming Sao Paulo Derby
Defying initial medical projections, Moura returned to competitive action in just over five months. He made his comeback during a 2-1 league victory over Vitoria on October 10, scoring once across four appearances since his return.
The 34-year-old now prepares to maintain that momentum when Sao Paulo host fierce rivals Corinthians on November 4. Subsequent fixtures against Fluminense and Botafogo will round out a critical stretch as his December contract expiration approaches.
