Fulham defender Terence Kongolo has revealed how he fell out of love with football after a series of serious injuries at the club.
Kongolo joined Fulham in a €4.4m deal from Huddersfield Town in October 2020 but would go on to make only four appearances for the club despite being there for two years.
That was thanks to a series of injuries, with the defender suffering from a fractured foot on his debut in February 2020.
That saw him spend 174 days on the treatment table and miss 18 games of the season, before fitness issues, an ankle injury and then Achilles tendon problems again saw him spending 209 days out injured.
He was then forced to undergo knee surgery in April 2021, just a month after returning from his previous issues.
That saw him spending another 157 days out of action, with Fulham eventually electing to send him on loan to French side Le Havre this season as he was not a part of Marco Silva’s plans.
He’s been working his way back with the Ligue 2 side this season and now admits he wants to put those very dark days in London behind him.
“As a substitute I got the chance and within ten minutes I broke my foot. I had to have surgery for the first time and was out for a long time.
“A few months later came the lockdown due to the coronavirus. In the end, it took seven months to come back,” Kongolo explained to Voetbal Zone.
“I was allowed to start against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League. I felt like blazing, but immediately got seriously injured again.
“This time a serious knee injury. At that point I was really through it. I didn’t want anything to do with football anymore. I didn’t feel like a football player anymore and I was done with it. I didn’t even want to watch it on TV anymore.
“I can hardly describe how difficult that period has been for me. I had so many things on my mind. I was just broken.”
For now, Kongolo is only focused on getting himself fit and rediscovering his love for football after his difficulties at Fulham.
He’s achieved that to some degree with Le Havre, managing to stay injury free and feature in 39% of the available minutes in Ligue 2 this season.
That loan deal does not include a purchase option for the French club, meaning he will need to return to Fulham once this campaign comes to end.
A more likely outcome is that he and Fulham elect to part ways, though, and he believes that will be presented to him in one way or another.
“Only God knows that,” he added.
“I am confident that he will come up with beautiful things next summer, I leave it in his hands. I just have to show it on the field now, that’s where my focus is.
“Nothing is certain in football. Fortunately, I still have many years to go, thank God for that too. What else do I want to achieve?
“I want to return to my old level, playing top football, in the highest leagues. Show myself I’m a fighter. More internationals? With God nothing is impossible. I am not a quitter.”
