After suffering a season-ending ankle injury during the MLS is Back Tournament last summer, defender Vito Wormgoornears a return to full strength in training as the 32-year-old Dutch center-back spoke with the Club on the rehabilitation process and the upcoming 2021 regular season.
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“It’s always awesome and amazing to be in the squad, especially with these guys," said Wormgoor after training earlier this week, as the Crew officially commenced preseason camp in Chula Vista, Calif. on Wednesday.
"It’s good to be back on the pitch, for me personally of course, but also to be in the group, to train with the squad. I think for a football player, that’s the most important,” Wormgoor said.
The late 2019 Crew acquisition played just 107 minutes total in two appearances for Columbus in 2020 before suffering an ankle injury vs. FC Cincinnati on July 11 in Orlando, Fla. It was the first major setback for Wormgoor, who began his professional career back in 2008 with FC Utrecht after developing in the AFC Ajax Academy system as a youth.
After feeling – and hearing – two large popping sensations upon suffering the injury, it was quickly apparent to Wormgoor in the immediate aftermath that the recovery process would be significant. With that, he received a lot of support from his teammates, friends, and family, as he traveled to and from his native Holland to rehab with both a personal training team and the Club staff.
“I knew from the beginning that it was going to be a long process, but from all the messages and the positivity from family, friends, teammates, I got a lot of strength and the process went quicker," Wormgoor said.
"Those (messages) things give me a lot of power," he continued. "I got the opportunity to go back a couple of times to Holland and work with my own officials, but also the officials in Columbus helped me a lot to get back on the pitch. But, also, my family around and my friends gave me a lot of power, and for an injured player that’s the most important – that you feel the love around you – and you need to be professional enough to handle it and work hard."
Wormgoor, who signed as a free agent officially on Dec. 19, 2019, was the second Crew SC defender to suffer a season-ending injury following Milton Valenzuela's 2019 knee injury and subsequent 2020 bounce-back season, which culminated with a nomination for MLS Comeback Player of the Year. Similar to Valenzuela's experience throughout his recovery process, the time away from the pitch gave him a different perspective on his relationship with the Club, and Wormgoor's comments earlier this week echoed a similar sentiment.
"I’m very proud to be a part of this team, and especially the guys on the team, who helped me a lot with the process, I think that will say a lot about what kind of team this is. It is a team. In the end, you will do it together. The technical staff, the medicals, the people on the board, the owners, and I think most importantly, the supporters, and I think this club, this city will maybe go for a third star.”
