The Jamaican forward Mikael Antonio has become a new player for the Qatari club "Al-Sailiya," marking his return to professional football after 15 months spent in the shadows. The reason for his long absence from the field was the aftermath of a serious car accident in Epping Forest, which resulted in the player suffering four fractures of the femur and spending three weeks in the hospital. Rehabilitation turned out to be lengthy, lasting more than a year. At the beginning of the season, English club "West Ham United" decided not to extend the contract with the veteran, leaving Antonio without a club.
To maintain his fitness, he trained with "Brentford" and "Leicester City," but none of the offers led to a full agreement. Negotiations with "Charlton Athletic" also did not succeed. Complicating matters was a calf injury sustained just as he was on the verge of signing a contract with "Brentford." Despite all the difficulties, the forward managed to come on as a substitute three times for the Jamaican national team after the accident, confirming his abilities on the international stage.
Mikael himself shared that his path to recovery was not easy: he had to re-confirm his physical readiness and overcome skepticism from potential clubs. Now he will continue his career in Doha, where "Al-Sailiya" is currently in 10th place in the Qatari league. The date of Antonio's debut with the new club has not yet been announced. In an official statement, he expressed gratitude to the management of "Al-Sailiya" for the opportunity and noted that he is happy to return to his beloved sport.
