Forty-five minutes. That was the margin between Christian Ziege keeping his leg and losing it.
The former Tottenham and Liverpool defender was told after his injury at Spurs that if he had reached hospital any later, doctors would have had to amputate to save his life. It took him 13 months to play again.
Speaking exclusively to BOYLE Sports, Ziege looked back on that injury and the reception he got from the Spurs crowd on his return. He also opened up on his difficult spell under Gérard Houllier, why he should have stayed longer at Middlesbrough, and the Euro 96 semi-final against England that he still rewatches.
The Injury That Nearly Cost Him His Leg
Christian Ziege on the Injury That Nearly Cost Him His Leg
You Suffered a Career-Threatening Injury at Tottenham – How Do You Look Back on It Now?
“I was shocked at that time because they told me that if I had arrived 45 minutes later at the hospital, they would have had to amputate my leg to save my life.
“At first, you don’t think about much else, you’re just happy that they saved you. But then you start realizing that life afterwards is quite different. I was just glad that they saved me.
“In the end, I think it took me 13 months to come back onto the pitch, which was a massive amount of time and really difficult.
“I had ongoing problems with that leg afterwards and could never play in the same way I used to, because I had two operations, the first one in London and another one in Munich after five months, where they had to remove a lot of muscle from my leg.”
Do Those Moments Still Live With You, and What Was It Like Stepping Back Onto the Pitch?
“I could feel the difference. Nevertheless, this is something that is part of the game. I was a bit unlucky, but you can’t change it.
“I was just happy to be back. The way the Spurs crowd celebrated when I came back and played for them again was amazing. I will never forget that.
“After such a long road back to the pitch, it was just outstanding. I will never forget the applause and everything when I stepped back onto the pitch.”
Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Gérard Houllier
Ziege on Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Gérard Houllier
How Do You Reflect All These Years Later on Your Year at Middlesbrough?
“I have to say I was really happy to go to Middlesbrough because I had a difficult time at Milan, not so much football-wise, but the circumstances there weren’t great. So I was very happy to play there, even though we were fighting against relegation at the time.
“It was a fantastic season for me personally. I started playing on the left side as I had in previous years, before returning to my old position in central midfield, where I used to play in my younger days in an offensive role alongside Paul Ince.
“It was just outstanding. It was a great season for me and I really enjoyed it.”
Was It Hard Not to Be Distracted by Liverpool’s Interest While You Were at Middlesbrough?
“It wasn’t easy for me, and even to this day I can’t fully explain everything that was going on. Obviously, when a big club like Liverpool comes in to sign you, it’s major.
“Looking back after all these years, I don’t regret making the move to Liverpool because I won two cups there, we qualified for the Champions League, and we won the UEFA Cup.
“But I had a fantastic time at Middlesbrough, and in hindsight as a player, I should have stayed for at least another season or two to make the right transition.”
How Did You Find Competing With a Young Jamie Carragher for Your Place in the Liverpool Team?
“First of all, I love it when young players come through. We had Jamie at Liverpool, and I had Philipp Lahm in the national team. You see young players coming in who are after your place, while you’re slowly becoming an older player.
“Everyone is trying to take your spot! Thinking about the beginning, Jamie’s whole development, from coming into the Liverpool team as a young player to becoming the central defender he did for Liverpool and the English national team, was a huge step forward.
“He learned a lot, because back when I was playing there, he was a good defender, but he struggled sometimes with the ball to really establish himself in professional football and break into the Liverpool side. What he did was very impressive.”
What Was Your Relationship With Gérard Houllier Like, and Were You Surprised He Didn’t Play You More?
“ Gérard Houllier was the manager during my time at Liverpool. It wasn’t great for me, let’s put it like that. He had different plans for the team.
“I was more of a left-back who liked going forward and playing offensively, and his style of play was different under those circumstances. I wasn’t the primary starter in his team, so obviously that suited his plans better. But I look back with respect for Gérard.”
Euro 96 and the Best Players He Played With
Ziege on Euro 96 and the Best Players He Played With
What’s the Best Atmosphere You Ever Played In?
“That was the semi-final at Euro 96, playing England against Germany. That was outstanding. Nothing comes close to that atmosphere and that game, it was absolutely the highest level of playing in a stadium. There’s nothing to compare it with.
“We knew we were playing against one of the best teams in Europe and that it would be a tough game. It went 120 minutes to penalties, with both teams having great chances. I love watching that game again and again, especially because we came out on top.
“Looking back at those memories, it’s the best game I ever played in. Even winning a final is a huge step to becoming champions, but that semi-final against England was an extraordinary match.”
Who Was the Best Team-Mate You Played Alongside in Your Career?
“My best team-mate? There were a lot of great players. I played alongside Lothar Matthäus, Jürgen Klinsmann, and at Milan with Paolo Maldini, Marcel Desailly, Zvonimir Boban, George Weah, Roberto Baggio.
“At Liverpool, I had Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Didi Hamann, Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler, and at Tottenham, Teddy Sheringham.
“So many outstanding players over the years! Paul Ince at Middlesbrough, all of them were slightly different, but it was a true joy to play alongside them.”
Who Was the Most Underrated Team-Mate of Your Career?
“Most underrated team-mate? The first one who comes to my mind is Thomas Linke. I played with him in the national team as a central defender. This guy was so intelligent and clever, yet he was never talked about in the same way as players like Maldini.
“He was outstanding in the way he played, giving 100% in every single match. Yet not many people talked about his contribution.”
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