Jonathan Klinsmann and Cesena
Friday
United States goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann has revealed that an April collision fractured his first cervical vertebra and seriously damaged neck ligaments, leaving him close to paralysis. The injury ended his season and destroyed his hopes of making the World Cup squad.
Klinsmann completed the match before doctors discovered the severity of the damage, then underwent complex neck surgery in Germany. Three months later he can walk but remains unsure when he will return to football, describing how narrowly he avoided permanent injury.