West Ham United forward Michail Antonio has spoken about the terrifying car crash that nearly ended his life last year.
Antonio suffered the accident shortly after visiting his Samba Stars Academy in Ghana back in November 2024.
The first images of his wrecked Ferrari, shared on social media in December, left many questioning if he had survived.
The 34-year-old spent over three weeks in the hospital after shattering his femur in four places. Now, he has given an emotional account of the accident and its impact on his family.
“The most difficult part is that I almost wasn’t there for my children,” Antonio told the BBC. “It’s made me appreciate life more because I got another chance.”
He revealed that while his youngest children were shielded from the details, his eldest, 13, struggled after seeing pictures online.
“He came down and saw me in the hospital,” Antonio said. “But for the younger ones, we avoided letting them see how bad it was.”
Antonio said he remembers nothing from the crash but recalled feeling unsafe driving the car before the accident.
“The back of the car kept swinging out on me, so I didn’t feel safe. I’d had it for three weeks and was already thinking of returning it.”
Despite being conscious after the crash, Antonio said he has no memory of speaking to police or paramedics. “My leg was completely shattered. They got me out and put a splint on it by the side of the car.”
He also clarified reports about an air ambulance. “The helicopter couldn’t take off because of the storm, so I was driven to the hospital.
“It gave me a weird feeling in my stomach. I was so close to dying. The car was an absolute mess. It was difficult for me.”
