Samuel Umtiti, the 31-year-old defender, is on the brink of a long-awaited return to the pitch with Lille after a prolonged absence due to injuries.
The 2018 World Cup winner has been sidelined since January 2024, a period during which he contemplated retirement, as reported by L’Équipe.
Umtiti’s career has been marred by a series of injuries. Following his triumph with Les Bleus in Russia, he has struggled to maintain fitness, which ultimately led to his departure from Barcelona. His stint at Lille has been similarly challenging, with a knee injury sustained during a Coupe de France fixture on January 21, 2024, requiring multiple surgeries.
Despite the setbacks, Umtiti has shown remarkable resilience. After considering retirement, he decided to attempt one final comeback. His efforts are paying off, as LOSC manager Bruno Genesio recently revealed that Umtiti has partially returned to first-team training. “His [fitness] is evolving well,” Genesio said. “Now, there are still steps to take, to confirm, before we can consider seeing him [play] with us, but in any case, he seems to be on the right path.”
