Former Belgium international Mousa Dembélé has revealed he regularly relied on injections to manage pain during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, shedding light on the physical struggles he endured throughout his career.
Softfootball understands that the ex-midfielder played through persistent pain for much of his seven-year spell in North London after joining Spurs from Fulham in 2012.
Speaking to So Foot, Dembélé admitted that few people knew the extent of the discomfort he experienced while representing Tottenham.
According to the former Belgian international, daily pain became part of his routine, with injections often necessary before matches just to enable him to take to the pitch.
Dembélé also explained that international breaks offered little opportunity for recovery because he was regularly called up by Belgium, leaving him with virtually no time to rest.
The former midfielder acknowledged that representing his country meant a great deal to him, but admitted the combination of club commitments, international fixtures, extensive travel and the demanding football calendar eventually took its toll on his body.
Despite those physical challenges, Dembélé remained one of Tottenham’s most influential players during his spell at the club, earning widespread praise for his strength, composure and exceptional ball-carrying ability in midfield.
After leaving Spurs in 2019, he completed a move to Chinese club Guangzhou City, bringing an end to a memorable Premier League career that saw him establish himself as one of the division’s finest midfielders of his generation.
His latest revelation adds to the growing conversation around player welfare and the physical demands placed on elite footballers throughout increasingly congested domestic and international schedules.
