He is one of the legends of Olympique Lyonnais, with his seven French championship titles and 406 matches played in the Gones jersey – for a record of 73 goals and 38 assists. Without forgetting his 49 caps and 10 achievements with the French team.
Now aged 46, Sidney Govou has not disappeared from the football landscape since he devotes himself to the activity of consultant. Close to the media now, it is in the columns of Le Parisien that the person concerned has chosen to lift the veil on a terrible and little-known episode in his career.
“ In 2013, after patellar tendon surgery, I contracted staphylococcus in the hospital and almost had part of my left leg amputated. », Says the former French international, who had punctuated his professional career that year after two seasons played with Evian-Thonon-Gaillard.
An accepted amputation…
“ I was in so much pain that a doctor at the hospital told me that the best solution was amputation.continues Sidney Govou. I was on morphine and in so much pain that I said yes. I was wracked with pain. » Finally, his then wife, his agent and even his surgeon dissuaded him.
“ There were six months of treatment. Twice a day, a nurse changed my IV. It was like chemo. » And while the doctors told him that he would certainly no longer be able to play football, or perhaps even run, the Rhône native fought “ to play again, no matter the level “. “ That’s why I played as an amateur in Chasselay. Today, I still play with the veterans. And I also ran the last 23 kilometers of the Sainté-Lyon race. » The most beautiful of the charts.
