Former England star hospitalised after ‘serious accident’ on eve of Argentina World Cup tie
Former England defender Gary Mabbutt has been hospitalised after suffering a ‘serious accident’ in South Africa. Mabbutt, a former centre-back, earned 16 caps for the Three Lions during the 1980s and early 1990s.
The 64-year-old spent the majority of his playing career at Tottenham Hotspur, featuring 601 times for Spurs across close to 16 years in north London before retiring from professional football in 1998.
In a post on Facebook, his close friend and ex-Tottenham midfielder Micky Hazard revealed that Mabbutt had been hospitalised while in South Africa.
“Guys just to let you all know Gary Mabbutt has had a serious accident in South Africa, he’s currently in hospital awaiting treatment an a big blood clot in his calf,” Hazard said.
“Not allowed to fly until 24th at the earliest to get back to England. Please send him your best wishes to lift his spirits. Best wishes Mabsy you’ve fought bigger battles than this and won.”
The update on Mabbutt’s health from Hazard comes on the same day that England are scheduled to face Argentina in Atlanta in the semi-final of the World Cup.
Mabbutt suffered a number of injuries during his playing career and was also diagnosed with type-1 diabetes at the age of 17 during his time at Bristol Rovers.
It was back in 2018 that the former England international spoke about a bizarre incident in South Africa when a rat began eating his foot.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Radio 5Live in 2018, Mabbutt said: “My daughter is at Cambridge University studying Veterinary Medicine and during the recess they have to do placements.
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“I got a placement in South Africa in the Kruger Park. So I escorted her out there, and we were staying in a thatched house about 16 miles from the nearest town.
“Unfortunately, due to the injuries through my career and some diabetes – I have very little feeling in my feet.
“So I’ve gone to sleep and during the night a rat has come has into the bedroom, climbed into the bed and decided to chew on my foot.”
He added: “It made quite a big hole in my toe going down to the bone and ate underneath my foot so it became infected.
“I then got home quite quickly and then I was in hospital for a week and that was about, crikey, about six weeks ago now.”
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