(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
On Monday, United States National Team striker Charlie Davies was enjoying the height of his soccer career. He had just played a major part in the country qualifying for its sixth straight World Cup.
By Tuesday, he was in hospital in stable but serious condition.
Davies, 23, was involved in a one-car accident Tuesday on the George Washington Parkway in Virginia. He was airlifted to the Washington Hospital Center Medstar to undergo several hours of surgery to repair a lacerated bladder, fractures to the tibia and femur in his right leg, facial fractures, and a fracture in his left elbow.
According to the U.S Men’s National Team blog, titanium rods were placed in his leg with no complications and he will be hospitalized for at least another week with more surgeries to come to stabilize his elbow fracture and facial fractures.
“The car was pretty much split in half,” U.S. Park Police Sgt. David Schlosser said, according to The Washington Post. The driver of the car was also injured and the other passenger was killed. It is currently unknown what the cause of the accident was and if Davies’ injuries are career-threatening.
“Injuries of this nature usually require a recovery period of six to 12 months and extensive rehabilitation,” said U.S. Soccer physician Dr. Dan Kalbac, on the team’s blog. ”Due to Charlie’s fitness level, his prognosis for recovery and his ability to resume high-level competition is substantially improved.”
This is an extremely sad day for all of U.S. soccer, as Davies is arguably its budding star. After attending Boston College for two years, Davies went to Sweden and played Hammarby, scoring 21 goals in 56 league appearances. In July, he signed with French club Sochaux and has two goals in six league appearances.
While his play abroad has been impressive, his biggest impact has come on the international stage.
The first real glimpse many American fans got of Davies was in the 2008 Summer Olympics, where he came on as a sub in the last game against Nigeria. Needing a tie to advance out of group play, the U.S. were down 2-1. The complexion of the game changed though when Davies entered the pitch.
His incredible speed allowed him to get behind the defense and caused Nigeria fits. In the dying minutes of the game, he put forth a header that struck the crossbar, nearly earning him the equalizer and hero of the tournament status.
It may not have gone in, but Davies was just beginning to leave his mark.
Davies has 17 appearances for the senior national team and has scored four goals, three of them being extremely important and showing Davies’ value for the team.
His first goal came October 15, 2008, in a World Cup qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago. The team lost 2-1, but Davies goal had tied the game at one all and kept the U.S. in it.
His biggest goal
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