Former Premier League left back Christian Ziege has lifted the lid on an injury that nearly killed him during his time at Tottenham.
Just months after playing in the World Cup final in 2002, an innocuous thigh injury suffered while playing against Charlton almost ended in disaster for the German.
'I was close to dying,' he told FourFourTwo. 'I got a knock on my thigh. It wasn't a big kick but my leg swelled up really badly after the match. I was in massive, massive pain.
'My wife told me to call the doctor but it was Boxing Day and I said, "I can't call him now".