James Maddison is continuing his long road back to full fitness as he recovers from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury he suffered during a pre-season friendly.
The Tottenham midfielder has been sidelined since rupturing his ACL against Newcastle United last summer and has since undergone surgery. Now 29, Maddison has offered a positive update on his progress after spending time in the United Arab Emirates, revealing that his recovery is moving in the right direction.
Taking to Instagram, Maddison shared several photos from his trip to the Middle East and admitted he is feeling stronger with each passing day. He wrote that the time away allowed him to work hard on his rehabilitation while also enjoying valuable family moments, which helped him mentally reset.
Although he acknowledged there is still work to be done, Maddison said he is encouraged by how his body is responding and is eager to return to the pitch in a Spurs shirt as soon as possible.
In one image from his post, the former Leicester City playmaker appeared in excellent physical shape, showing off his muscular build. Other photos showed him balancing gym work with family time, as well as training alongside a member of Tottenham’s backroom staff.
While working out in the gym, Maddison was spotted wearing a light blue Tottenham away shirt from the 2010/11 season. He was also seen on the grass carrying out dribbling and shooting drills in a retro 2011/12 home kit bearing Rafael van der Vaart’s name on the back.
After recording 12 goals and 11 assists in 45 appearances for Spurs last season, Maddison had been hoping to carry that momentum into the 2025/26 campaign, with a World Cup on the horizon. However, his serious knee injury has forced him to put those ambitions on hold.
Maddison has not featured in a competitive match since April and is not expected to return until the latter stages of the current season. Speaking last month, he admitted that coming to terms with the injury was mentally challenging, particularly with the likelihood of missing out on the World Cup.
He explained that realizing he could be sidelined for most, if not all, of the season was devastating, especially after feeling close to England contention following a strong campaign. Maddison acknowledged that injuries are one of the harsh realities of football and said dealing with the mental side has been one of the toughest parts of his recovery.
Ultimately, Maddison stressed that his main priority is making a safe and complete return to full fitness. He said the long rehabilitation process brings many ups and downs, but his focus remains on coming back with confidence, a positive mindset, and being fully fit for Tottenham whenever that moment arrives.
