Premier League star Michail Antonio breaks silence after horror Ferrari crash as he reveals he 'could have died'
17 March 2025, 11:40
West Ham striker Michail Antonio has spoken out for the first time after his car crash in December.
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Antonio said that he could have died in the crash, which saw him break his leg after hitting a tree in his Ferrari in Essex's Epping Forest.
The Premier League star, 34, said it was "a horrendous accident" and "a massive injury".
His femur was broken in four places and had to be fused back together with pins.
He was hospitalised for three weeks and faces a tough road back to the pitch - but insists he will still get back to playing at the top level for West Ham.
Read more: West Ham boss gives new update on Michail Antonio's injury after horror supercar crash
"That's what I am focused on and why I am working six days a week," he told the BBC.
Antonio added: "It's the biggest injury I've ever had in my career. But the fact that I'm already two to three months ahead of where I should be, I know that I'll play again, and I know that once I'm playing the game I'll get the sharpness back.
"I was one of the quickest at West Ham. So my body wasn't the body of a 34-year-old before I had the accident anyway. I can still be sharp and still do the business.
"People have always doubted me. My mental strength is something that I've always believed in and this is just another setback, and it is not going to stop me."
The accident took place on December 7 last year, on a wet and windy day, when Antonio set off for training ahead of a game against Wolverhampton Wanderers two days later.
He said he was already feeling unsure about driving the Ferrari and had plans to take it back after only having it for three weeks.
"The back of the car kept swinging out on me, so I didn't feel safe," he said.
But he added that he doesn't remember anything about the crash itself.
He was found by police in between two seats. "They said it looked like I was trying to climb out of the window, but because my leg was so badly broken the pain probably stopped me from being able to get out," he said.
Antonio visited the scrapyard recently and saw the remains of his car.
"It gave me a weird feeling in my stomach," he said. "It just made me realise how close I was to dying. I had seen the pictures but it was ten times worse in person. The car was an absolute mess. It was difficult for me."
He added: "The most difficult part is that I almost wasn't there for my children. It's just made me happy, positive about life, because I've got another chance at life.
"During this, we kept it away from the kids. My eldest saw it, and he struggled with it. He's 13, and obviously people were showing photos of the car.
"So he came down and saw me in the hospital. But the younger ones, they never really knew how bad the situation was. We kind of avoided letting them get on the internet."
He said that he is staying away from fast cars for now, although he has been able to drive for the first time since the crash - and did not have any nerves because he didn't remember the accident.
