West Ham United forward Michail Antonio was in a serious car crash this past weekend and is expected to take at least a year to rehabilitate from his injuries, per The Guardian. It is not clear at this juncture whether the road to recovery will be longer or career-ending.
The club said Saturday that Antonio is in stable condition and communicating. “West Ham United can confirm Michail Antonio has undergone surgery on a lower limb fracture following a road traffic accident on Saturday afternoon. Michail will continue to be monitored in hospital over the coming days," per a West Ham spokesperson.
In a show of support for the injured 34-year-old, Antonio's teammates honored the forward by warming up in "Antonio 9" jerseys on Monday night vs. Wolverhampton. Players also walked out in shirts adorned with the striker's name.
West Ham warmed up in Michail Antonio's shirt days after he was in a serious car accident ❤️ pic.twitter.com/oNCgaLfSNW
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 9, 2024
To add to the love, the West Ham and Wolves fans in the stands also applauded for #9 through the match's ninth minute.
⚒️❤️ One minute applause at the West Ham vs Wolves game for Michail Antonio. 👏 (@westhamfootball) pic.twitter.com/4iPfYfelgh
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) December 9, 2024
West Ham fans show their support for No. 9 Michail Antonio with a standing ovation at nine minutes. 👏
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) December 9, 2024
Antonio was seriously injured in a car accident on Saturday and airlifted to the hospital, where he is now recovering. pic.twitter.com/ugmxfqDfSc
West Ham's Tomáš Souček also dedicated his goal to Antonio by holding up nine fingers.
Tomas Soucek dedicates his goal to Michail Antonio
— Premier League (@premierleague) December 9, 2024
He holds up nine fingers - Antonio’s shirt number 9️⃣#WHUWOL pic.twitter.com/I30T4cw4Ku
"He's not just a teammate, he's a friend of ours," West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen said Monday. "He's been a friend of ours for many years. A dad, as well, to beautiful children. ... It's one of those things where life is bigger than football sometimes."
A disallowed goal from Mohammed Kudus featured him holding up an Antonio jersey, and a later goal from Bowen saw him do the same.
Antonio left Nottingham Forest to join West Ham in 2015, and has since become a fan favorite, including winning a Europa Conference League trophy in 2023. He has played in all 14 of West Ham's Premier League matches this season.
More of the Latest Sports News
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fans Join in West Ham Players' Classy Gesture for Michail Antonio After Car Crash.
