Usain Bolt Raptured his Achilles during Soccer Aid match
Legendary Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt captained a World XI in the Soccer Aid charity football match in London but his evening ended in painful fashion as he was stretchered off.
Usain Bolt was stretchered off after going down injured during the second half of the 2024 Soccer Aid match at Stamford Bridge. The Olympic sprinter, was captaining the World XI against England at Soccer Aid – which raises more than £100million for Unicef this year.
Bolt was injured trying to tackle Jermain Defoe. Bolt, 37, was playing at centre-back having started the game up front. When Jermain Defoe went dribbling past team-mates, Bolt attempted to put a foot in. The sprint king – wearing his record-breaking 9.58 on his back – appeared to roll his ankle or get his foot stuck into the turf and immediately went to ground. It allowed Defoe a clear path at goal, with the former England striker smashing the ball past Tony Bellew to make it 4-2.
As the England players were celebrating, Bolt stayed on the ground. He eventually needed medical attention and was quickly carried off on a stretcher, with his leg wrapped in a splint. Bolt was able to applaud supporters inside Stamford Bridge as he was carried off the pitch and away down the tunnel.
Taking to social media after the game, Bolt said he had ruptured his Achilles as he posted a photo with his right leg in a moon boot and holding a pair of crutches.
Joe Cole scores opening goal at Soccer Aid 2024
The Jamaican Olympian started the game as a striker and had a couple of good chances to score. He had earlier provided a wonderful assist for Alessandro Del Piero to make it 2-2. He used an excellent dummy to get free of Stuart Broad before rolling the path into the Juventus legend to smash home.
He probably should have scored at least one goal, firing a couple of efforts wide in the first half before Paddy McGuinness somehow saved a close-range shot early in the second half. England eventually went on to win Football Aid – ending a five-match losing streak. The Three Lions had not won since 2018, when they needed a penalty shootout to win.
But this year, Frank Lampard and Harry Redknapp’s side dominated, eventually running out 6-3 winners. Dragon Steven Bartlett put in a star showing, scoring two from the bench including one immediately after entering the fray.
Former England internationals Joe Cole, Defoe, Theo Walcott and Ellen White also scored. For the World XI, Eden Hazard scored a super free-kick on his return to Stamford Bridge, while Billy Wingrove added a penalty to that Del Piero goal.