James Maddison has expressed deep gratitude to Tottenham Hotspur supporters after making his long-awaited return from injury in their Premier League clash against Leeds United.
The midfielder, affectionately known as “Madders,” received a rousing reception at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, marking his first competitive appearance in over a year following a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in 2025. His recovery kept him sidelined for months, including missing key fixtures such as a European final.
Speaking in an interview on the club’s official YouTube channel, Softfootball gathered that Maddison described the reception as “special,” admitting it filled him with pride and emotion after a difficult 12-month period.
The England international nearly marked his return with a dramatic late contribution, driving into the box in stoppage time before going down under a challenge from Lukas Nmecha. However, VAR ruled no penalty after determining the ball was played first, and the match ended 1–1.
Maddison revealed that it took him only moments to regain his rhythm, stating that once he touched the ball, it felt like he had “never been away.” He also highlighted the emotional significance of having his family present to witness his comeback.
The excitement just to see me back just makes me feel so happy to be part of this club, to represent this club and them fans. Thank you to them for giving me that moment because without them that doesn’t happen and I’ve missed it so much. I’ve missed them.
To have my family there, all in the crowd as well to witness that, it’s special for them as well, so very thankful. it took me two minutes to kind of just calm down in my own head and refocus. But once I had my first couple of touches with the ball, it felt like I’d never been away, so that felt good and the crowd gave me so much positivity every time I touched the ball. I just felt the energy towards me, so again, just thankful to them and hopefully I can repay them.
watch full video:
The 29-year-old concluded by thanking supporters for their unwavering backing during his recovery and expressed determination to repay their faith with strong performances moving forward.
