Antonio Shares Career Plans Months After Crash That Shattered His Femur
Michail Antonio has shed light on the path he hopes to take in his football career after parting ways with West Ham United as a free agent, eight months on from surviving a serious car crash.
While driving his Ferrari through Epping Forest in December last year, the Jamaica international lost control and collided with a tree.
Emergency crews were forced to cut the forward free after he spent over 45 minutes trapped inside the damaged vehicle.
Doctors later discovered that Antonio had suffered a severe injury, with his femur broken in four separate places.
Remarkably, just four months later, he was back in training, though contract talks with West Ham eventually broke down, leading to his departure.
Eager to keep playing at the highest level, Antonio has not yet found a new club during the ongoing transfer window.
In the meantime, the 35-year-old has taken on media work, including appearing as a pundit for coverage of Sunday’s Community Shield clash between Liverpool and Crystal Palace.
Speaking in a recent interview, the veteran forward revealed that discussions are under way with several potential suitors.
When asked by talkSPORT if he was ready to focus solely on broadcasting, Antonio firmly dismissed the idea.
Negotiations, he explained, are taking place with teams both in England and overseas, though he declined to go into specifics.
Representing Jamaica at the 2026 World Cup remains one of his key ambitions, with Antonio stressing that the Reggae Boyz are close to qualifying.
Achieving that dream, he said, would also help ensure his career is not defined by the aftermath of a car accident.
Antonio is determined to prove he can still perform at a high level, noting that he was a regular starter for West Ham before the crash.
A decade at the London Stadium saw him emerge as a central figure for the Hammers, contributing on and off the pitch.
He was instrumental in their Europa Conference League triumph and finished his time at the club with 323 appearances, 83 goals, and 43 assists.
If Jamaica secures a place at the tournament, Antonio could potentially link up with Mason Greenwood, who is reportedly in the process of switching national teams after obtaining a Jamaican passport.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate had previously ruled out recalling Greenwood to the national setup following his extended absence from club football after a January 2022 arrest.
The Crown Prosecution Service dropped charges of attempted rape, assault, and controlling and coercive behaviour in February 2023, but a subsequent six-month internal investigation at Manchester United led to a mutual decision that he would not play for the club again.
Greenwood currently features for Ligue 1 side Marseille.
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