Osgood-Schlatter – the knee condition that shaped footballers like Rooney, Rashford and Branthwaite
New York TimesWhat do Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes, Marcus Rashford, and Jordan Henderson have in common? I couldn’t run, it was so painful.” “My bones were growing quicker than my muscles,” says Danny Welbeck of his time in Manchester United’s academy. “Typically, you see it in children who are mid-growth spurt,” says Ruben Jongkind, former head of talent development at Ajax’s academy. “No one’s got a crystal ball, but you definitely need to have the experience of knowing where players are in their maturation curve,” former Chelsea scout Harry Watling told The Athletic last year. “I did training sessions where it hurt but I didn’t say anything,” said Varane, who, as a teenager, was desperately trying to retain his place in France’s elite CRAF academy.
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