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Canadian forward Promise David was determined to bounce back from injury and play in next month’s World Cup.
After suffering a ruptured hip tendon in February, David asked his doctors to take photos during surgery. He wanted to understand the injury and how he could recover from it. Holding up images of his open skin, the reattached tendon, and his quadriceps carefully put back in place, David examined them like someone reflecting on treasured travel snapshots.
“It was a s–t injury,” he said. “S–t timing. I was going to give up, I’m not going to lie to you. They told me it was going to be six months. I started doing calculations. I was like, I am so cooked. I was already planning to go on vacation in Dubai.”
The injury happened in late February during a match with Union Saint-Gilloise. David landed awkwardly and heard a pop that left his quadriceps sagging. Instead of tearing his ACL, the force tore his hip tendon.
Two days after the injury and before surgery, David went to training. “I was so mentally broken,” he said. “I changed into training clothes and acted like I was going to train. Then I started crying watching my teammates train.” His professional career was suddenly on hold, and his World Cup hopes vanished.
But then Canadian coach Jesse Marsch reached out. “I’m going to hold out as long as possible,” Marsch told him, “as long as you promise to do everything you can.” David responded, “So, I did everything I could.”
He underwent surgery and embraced the recovery, even joking about his experience with medication. “Oh my God, I loved the drugs,” he said. “It wasn’t even sleep. It was like time travel. I woke up and started terrorizing the hospital.”
Known for his blunt honesty and unfiltered manner, David can make gaps in communication feel awkward. Asked about Canada’s World Cup chances, he said, “I want us to advance because that means more money in our pockets. I’ve got a TD account that’s empty right now.”
But when it came to his recovery, David revealed a serious side. “I’ve had coaches who have discarded me when times were good. Now I have one who didn’t discard me when times were bad. It meant a lot.”
David tackled his rehab with military precision, doing two physiotherapy sessions daily from Monday to Friday. On weekends, he watched soccer in stadiums, staying connected to the game and his teammates.
While doctors initially predicted he’d return only by August, David pushed his comeback. Each MRI showed remarkable progress. Though he would tell others no, deep down he believed he would make it back.
Asked if he pictured playing in the World Cup yet, David said no: “I’m picturing dinner.” Specifically, pasta with red sauce.
Reflecting on his ordeal, he joked, “I think I could regrow a limb if I lost it, in all seriousness. I could regrow a f–king limb if I wanted to. I have a s–t immune system. If I get a cold, I’m dying. But in terms of regrowth, if we want to start a new colony on Mars, I should be the number one candidate.”
David won’t be going to Mars, but he will be in Toronto on June 12 when Canada opens its World Cup against Bosnia and Herzegovina. And true to his nickname, he plans to score in Vancouver against either Switzerland or Qatar.
“I have this weird thing where I can call out goals before I score them,” he said. “I don’t know which game, but it will be in Vancouver.”
It wasn’t a boast; it was Promise being Promise, and there’s every reason to believe him.