After being helped off the field on a stretcher at Soccer Aid, Usain Bolt finally disclosed that he had a ruptured Achilles tendon.
At Stamford Bridge, Bolt led Mauricio Pochettino’s World XI in the yearly charity match that benefits UNICEF.
Joe Cole scored a magnificent goal to put England up 1-0 on Sunday. (England had lost their previous five matches at Soccer Aid.)
However, Bolt’s first influence on the game would not be delayed for long. As the 37-year-old advanced towards the goal, actor Danny Dyer brutally tackled him on the brink of the penalty area.
After receiving the free kick, Eden Hazard equalized for World XI by curving a shot around the wall that caught David James off guard.
Not long after that, Bolt was right back in the thick of things again, this time thanks to a clever move inside the penalty area that set up Alessandro Del Piero, who scored from close range.
After an unbelievable pass from Jack Wilshere, England kept fighting, and Ellen White became the first female goalscorer in the event’s history, proving that her hunting instincts hadn’t left her even in retirement.
Teams wasted no time putting their new celebrity goalkeepers to the test after halftime, with England taking a 3-2 lead thanks to Dragons Den star Steven Bartlett.
Just after the hour mark, Defoe would score his goal, and Tommy Wingrove would respond from the penalty spot.
However, the damage had already been done, as England triumphed 6-3 thanks to a goal from player-of-the-match Bartlett, who extended his goal-scoring streak to two goals. This was their first Soccer Aid title since 2018.
Bolt seemed to be in pain as the game progressed due to an injury, but he seemed to signal to his teammates’ benches that he was resolute in his decision to keep playing.
In the second half, England’s drive persisted, and former England striker Jermain Defoe sprinted forward while Bolt drew back to try to stop him. It was then that he fell to the ground.
Medical personnel had to carry Bolt off on a stretcher.
The sprinter, who loves football, revealed his critical injury in a social media post after the game.
