Going to the studio from the playing field might seem like a cushy gig for retired athletes. But it doesn’t erase the risk of injury for soccer players.
During the broadcast of AC Milan’s 5-1 victory over Cagliari Saturday night, Sky Sports analyst and former Italian professional footballer Alessandro Costacurta proved you can take the soccer player off the field, but you can’t take injuries out of the soccer player. While breaking down how AC Milan took a 1-0 lead in the first half, Costacurta attempted to reenact a jumping tackle that led to the goal.
The 58-year-old ran across the studio before jumping in the air to perform a sort of flying leg kick. It looked great and seemed like a fun idea, until he landed.
Costacurta si è strappato in diretta💀 @erclab_tweet pic.twitter.com/grx8ZC1iFo
— danny (@DannyArmellini4) May 11, 2024
As soon as Costacurta hit the ground, he grabbed the back of his thigh and grimaced in pain. That seemed to indicate he injured his right hamstring.
Did Costacurta legitimately injure his leg on the play? With soccer players, it can be hard to tell. But although it’s not shown in the above clip, Costacurta apparently returned to his seat telling show host Alessandro Bonan, “I’m better, I put on some ice and as you can see, I’m fine now.”
If the injury was real, the 5-1 win by Milan probably helped to numb the pain. Costacurta played for Milan from 1986-2007.
Costacurta was a professional athlete for more than two decades. But it was still a playful flying leg kick that got him. Costacurta’s hamstring may not have held up, but amazingly, his dress pants did.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com