Article by Maria Olteanu – Published Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 4:45 p.m. / Updated Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 4:52 p.m.
Eliot Matazo (24 years old), the Belgian midfielder of the Hull City, seventh in the English second division, are bracing themselves for another lengthy spell out after suffering another ACL injury, this time in his left leg, just 10 minutes into his return. Before that, he had spent 424 days on the touchline for a similar injury to his right leg.
The midfielder injured ligaments in his left knee early in the game that marked his return at Charlton Athletic on Saturday. He had to come off the field and be replaced by Paddy McNair after just 11 minutes.
Matazo collapsed on the pitch, received medical attention on the field, performed a few sprints on the side of the field before re-entering the game, but was unable to continue and was substituted shortly after.
Terrible bad luck for the player returning after 424 days of absence
Initially, the Belgian player told coach Sergej Jakirovic that he did not feel the injury was too serious. However, an MRI on Sunday revealed the injury to his left knee, an absolutely devastating blow for the player who has been at Hull City since January 2025.
Matazo had not played in a Championship game since injuring his right knee in the defeat at Cardiff City at the end of February 2025. Saturday's game marked his first appearance in 424 days, but it ended badly, according to hulldailymail.co.uk.
Coach Jakirovic admitted that starting Matazo in such an important match was a risk, but felt that after extensive consultation with the player and the club's medical staff, it was a calculated risk.
The unlucky footballer will now begin another long recovery period in an attempt to rebuild his career once more after a break of more than a year.
It's hard for me to find the right words, this is beyond my understanding… I leave everything in God's hands, He knows why. I got over this injury once, I'll do it a second time. Thank you all for your messages and prayers. See you soon, be blessed
– Eliot Matazo, after injury
