Ben Chilwell missed most of last season due to injury and came back this year only to be forced back to the sidelines for a long period with a torn hamstring.
It must have been awful for him, but he’s now back playing better than ever for Chelsea, and having missed the World Cup with England he’s back in the Three Lions squad for their return to action this fortnight.
Speaking at their camp, he told journalists about how he had dealt with the tough times in rehab over the last 18 months:
Chilwell who is with England says his time out has been 'mentally challenging' but he is using the spells out injured to better himself both 'mentally' and 'physically'. He said it was nice both him and Reece James could 'share the pain' of missing the World Cup. #CFC #ThreeLions
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) March 21, 2023
He certainly looks like that hard work paid off, as he’s stepped back into the side without missing a beat. Players can really struggle during long spells on the sidelines, and clubs have only recently realised how important it is to keep their stars busy in that time.
We’re just not sure what better himself mentally means – reading classic literature and doing Sudoku? Whatever it is, it seems to have worked.
