Dejan Kulusevski completed his ‘impossible’ and ‘beautiful’ journey back to the Premier League and promised to repay Tottenham fans for their support in the difficult times.
Kulusevski returned as an 87th-minute substitute on Monday. It was his first appearance since a serious knee injury in May 2025 and coincided with an upturn in fortunes for Spurs.
Roberto De Zerbi’s strugglers beat Coventry 3-1 to secure their first league win of the season at the seventh attempt and climbed off the bottom of the table.
James Maddison’s first goal for almost 18 months after his own injury nightmare and Kulusevski’s long-awaited return served to fuel the celebrations.
‘The journey felt impossible,’ said Kulusevski, 26. ‘It was the most difficult it could be, but I had a feeling I was going to come back to play football. I just had to believe and that is what I do.
‘I had to tell my closest ones it might not work out, just a couple of months ago. But in my heart, I always knew it would work out. I kept working. For 10 hours every day when no one is watching.
Dejan Kulusevski has vowed to repay Tottenham fans support after making his first appearance in 526 days after a serious knee injury
Kulusevski admitted the injury, sustained in May 2025 against Crystal Palace, led to him telling his loved ones a couple of months ago that his return might not work out
‘Imagine when everyone gives up on you. And football for me is like breathing. Imagine you can’t breathe for two years but still you have a family, so you show up, you do it with a smile, you go with your team-mates, you hype them up and that takes a lot of love, a lot of courage and a lot of belief. That is what I had to practise.
‘So, when everything was impossible and everyone gave up, I never gave up.’
Kulusevski damaged a kneecap in a game against Crystal Palace. He had surgery but found he was still in pain and discomfort when he returned to training seven months later.
There followed a course of injections and further rest and when that did not solve the problem he underwent another operation in March.
It has been a long and difficult road with dire warnings about the delicate nature of the injury, and the popular Swede told how his Christian faith helped him through darker parts of his recovery.
‘God, he gives me all the power,’ said Kulusevski. ‘I can’t take credit for what I’ve done because I haven’t done it alone. Every day he has been doing it for me.
‘I will tell everyone about the journey. It has been an amazing journey even if it was hard sometimes. Hard is beautiful and I am so grateful that I had to experience it.
‘Now I am ready to play football. I see myself a little different now. I think I am a different man now. Same guy, same guy that wants to play football but a little bit smarter.’
Tottenham fans gave Kulusevski a rapturous ovation when he came on in the closing stages of their 3-1 victory over Coventry
Spurs fans gave him a rapturous ovation as he peeled off his tracksuit to replace Mohamed Kudus.
‘I am so grateful that they miss me play,’ said Kulusevski. ‘It means a lot and I am here to show them a better me. And a better me will be a better Spurs so we will be good.’
He played in an internal practice match at the Tottenham training centre at the start of October and travelled with the squad but didn’t make the bench for the first game after the international break at Manchester United.
By the time of the Coventry game, he was straining at the leash to get back on the pitch.
‘I was more emotional in the morning,’ said Kulusevski. ‘I wasn’t nervous. I was ready to play those 10 minutes and make a good impact. It was amazing. It was fun. A beautiful day and I’m so happy we won.’
