Dejan Kulusevski has revealed that he feared his playing career might be over during his lengthy absence with a serious knee injury, admitting that he even prepared his mother for the possibility that he would never play football again.The Tottenham Hotspur midfielder suffered the injury against Crystal Palace in May 2025 and endured a difficult recovery before making his long-awaited return against Coventry City earlier this month. Now, in an emotional interview with the club, the 26-year-old has opened up about some of the darkest moments of his career.Spurs initially confirmed that Kulusevski had undergone surgery on his right patella just days before the Europa League final against Manchester United. At the time, the expectation was that he would return much sooner, but the injury proved far more complicated than anyone had anticipated.As Spurs Web reported when the injury was first confirmed, the Sweden international was ruled out of the final in Bilbao. What followed was a lengthy spell on the sidelines that would eventually stretch to 17 months.Roberto De Zerbi has praised Kulusevski for the character and fighting spirit he showed during his recovery, describing the attacking midfielder as an example for the rest of the Tottenham squad.The Spurs boss said earlier this month: “He’s an inspiration. He reacted very well, with character, with courage, with passion. We have to take inspiration from Deki. I said the same in the meeting to the players.“He is an example for everyone, Dejan Kulusevski. Forget the player, but the example of how he reacted to the injury, the reaction to being unlucky, the character he showed this time, was an example, a reference for everyone.”Credit: @thefrederikkejensen / InstagramDejan Kulusevski reveals conversation with his mother about retirementSpeaking in an interview published on Tottenham’s official SPURSPLAY platform, Kulusevski explained just how difficult the months following his injury had been. One of the lowest points came when his teammates were celebrating their Europa League triumph in Bilbao.Although he travelled to Spain for the final, Kulusevski was on crutches and unable to join his teammates on the podium. He also had to remain in Barcelona rather than travel home with the rest of the squad, leaving him watching their celebrations from afar.Reflecting on Tottenham’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United, he said: “That was one of the hardest days in my life, I think. It was so beautiful to see all the people happy, but it was very difficult for me, going there with crutches, can’t walk. I couldn’t even take my medal because it was too slippery to go on that thing [the podium].”Kulusevski admitted that watching the team celebrate without him was particularly difficult because of how isolated he felt during his recovery. While his teammates were enjoying one of the biggest nights in Tottenham’s recent history, he was dealing with the uncertainty surrounding his own future.At one stage, the midfielder became so concerned about his knee that he sat down with his mother to explain that he might never be able to play football again.Kulusevski revealed: “I told my mother, I sat with her, and I told her ‘Listen, I don’t think this is going to work out’. I had to prepare her: ‘I don’t think I can play anymore’.”The Sweden international also recalled the challenge against Crystal Palace that caused the injury, explaining that the initial pain had not seemed particularly severe. It was only afterwards that the extent of the damage became apparent.He explained: “I could feel that the knee was moving a little bit too much. I broke my cartilage, and the cartilage flew out and went to another part of the knee, and they can’t fix cartilage, so in the scan they could see that a part of my cartilage was gone.”Kulusevski names the person who helped him through his injury nightmareKulusevski reserved particular praise for his wife Eldina, who supported him throughout the recovery process while also looking after their children. He described her as his ‘idol’ and explained how important her support had been during the most difficult periods.“My wife is my idol. What she’s doing with the kids is amazing,” he said. “She’s been the closest to seeing how it’s been with me because she’s been my partner. She’s the best.”Another important moment came when Kulusevski returned to Sweden for part of his rehabilitation. Working with friends and a physiotherapist, he began to notice a difference in how his knee responded to exercises that had previously caused him pain.The midfielder recalled: “When I did the exercises, I said, ‘I don’t have pain. This hurt yesterday. Why is this not hurting today?’ I did the next exercise and said, ‘This is not hurting.'”That improvement gave Kulusevski renewed belief that he could return to football. He went straight to his wife to tell her that he finally felt they were making progress.He added: “I went into the room to my wife. I told her, ‘It’s over. We’re going to do this.’ From one day to the next, it was just better. There was still pain, but it was different. Now I had control over my leg.”Kulusevski’s Tottenham comeback puts his emotional interview into perspectiveKulusevski finally made his competitive return when he came off the bench during Tottenham’s 3-1 victory over Coventry City on October 19. It was his first appearance since the injury against Crystal Palace in May 2025, bringing an end to more than 17 months without competitive football.His return was greeted by a huge reception from the Tottenham supporters, who had waited a long time to see him back on the pitch. Given what Kulusevski has now revealed about his fears of retirement, that moment carries even more significance.For De Zerbi, the next challenge is helping the 26-year-old build up his match fitness and work towards playing regularly again. Tottenham have been without one of their most creative players for a considerable period, but there is little reason to rush him after such a complicated recovery.What stands out from Kulusevski’s interview is just how close he believed he had come to losing his career. His return against Coventry was about much more than another player becoming available for selection, and Spurs supporters will now hope he can put those difficult months behind him.READ MORE: Tottenham confirm huge Dejan Kulusevski injury blow ahead of Europa League finalThe post ‘I don’t think I can play anymore’ – Dejan Kulusevski opens up on Tottenham injury nightmare appeared first on Spurs Web.