All Whites midfielder Matt Garbett has spoken of his devastation after a hamstring injury ruled him out of the FIFA World Cup just days before New Zealand's opening match against Iran.
According to a report by Stuff, Garbett had earned a place in the starting lineup following an impressive performance in the All Whites' 1-0 warm-up loss to England and was set to play a key role in the tournament. However, his World Cup dream came to an abrupt end after suffering a hamstring injury during the team's penultimate training session in San Diego.
Unable to take part, Garbett watched from the sidelines as his teammates prepared for the tournament opener. The emotional toll of the setback was evident as he admitted shedding tears during the match.
“My parents are here and seeing them in tears … I was supposed to be starting to being ruled out of the World Cup, it’s not easy to take,” Garbett said, Stuff has quoted.
“I’ve sort of gotten better over the day, but watching the game from the stands, there were some tears wishing I was out there. It’s not easy, but at the same time I want to support the boys,” as quoted by Stuff.
Because the injury occurred more than 24 hours before the opening fixture, New Zealand was permitted to call up a replacement. Auckland FC forward Logan Rogerson was drafted into the squad, cutting short his off-season break to travel to the United States.
Garbett explained that the injury happened during a routine training drill.
“It was just a freak accident,” he said.
“I knew straight away when I did it [that my World Cup was over]. I’ve never had a muscle injury in my life. For it to be the first one and for it to be quite a bad one as well, it’s gut-wrenching. It’s been an emotional last 48 hours. A lot of tears. It’s hard to accept,” Stuff has quoted.
Despite his disappointment, Garbett remained determined to support his teammates and tried to savour the experience from the sidelines.
As he watched the pre-match warm-up, he said he was trying to “soak it all in and enjoy the moment as much as I can,” as quoted by Stuff.
His mood was lifted somewhat by the performance of close friend and longtime teammate Elijah Just, who scored twice in New Zealand's thrilling 2-2 draw against Iran.
“Eli and I have spent a lot of time playing PlayStation together, from the Olympics in Tokyo [until now]. We’ve spent a lot of time together in camp and to see him do what he did today, I went straight to him and said ‘goal one or goal two?", as quoted by Stuff.
“I’m super happy for him. They were two unbelievable goals. I always knew he could do that. Ever since we grew up, that was kind of how he played with the dynamic movement he has. It came to fruition in today’s game,” as quoted by Stuff.
All Whites coach Darren Bazeley described the situation as particularly difficult given Garbett's importance to the team and the fact he had been expected to start.
“He’s here with us today, and he’s in the changing room, which is good he gets that experience, but to take away a World Cup experience from a 24-year-old is really tough, because he's a great, great lad,” Stuff has quoted.
Midfielder Ryan Thomas, who has dealt with injuries throughout his own career, said the entire squad was feeling for Garbett.
“It’s tough. I’ve had my fair share of injuries. He was going to start, and to get that injury two days out, it’s tough on anyone, it doesn’t matter who you are,” Thomas said, as quoted by Stuff.
“You don’t really know what to say. He’s taken it really well to be fair, but he’s got everyone supporting him, so whatever he needs, we are here for him,” Stuff has quoted.
While New Zealand's World Cup campaign continues, Garbett faces a lengthy recovery and the heartbreak of watching from the sidelines after coming so close to realising his dream on football's biggest stage.
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