When Radu Dragusin stepped onto the Selhurst Park turf in the 85th minute of our 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, it signalled the end of an 11-month journey which he describes as the “biggest challenge of his life”.
It had been almost a year since Radu had last donned Lilywhite - a substitute appearance in our 3-0 victory over Elfsborg back in January as we secured progress in our ultimately triumphant Europa League campaign. Unfortunately, the defender was forced off with an injury after just 20 minutes, going down to the ground, clutching at his right knee after landing awkwardly.
Scans later revealed that he had sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, which would require significant surgery as well as a physically and mentally intense rehabilitation process.
"It's been a long journey, the biggest challenge of my life," he told SPURSPLAY after the game, discussing his 11-month recovery journey.
"I just kept going. I had people next to me who helped me, my team-mates, my family, and my fiancé.
"I knew the road was going to be long, but I knew there was going to be a light at the end of it. Today, I've seen the light. I can't even describe the feeling I'm having."
After the final whistle, Radu was embraced by his team-mates, who helped him withstand the extended period on the sidelines, before sharing a special moment with the travelling supporters, which was led by Micky van de Ven.
"I miss this feeling, I miss this atmosphere, the fans, and my team-mates on the pitch. I miss the football. I'm just so happy right now," he said, reflecting on the post-match scenes.
"I couldn't ask for anything better. My family was here, and as I said, we won. I think it's the best comeback I could have ever done.
Heading into 2026, the defender is now targeting a return to the starting line-up after an enduring year where he learned a lot about himself.
"I learned to have patience and believe in doing the right things over and over again. A big part of my recovery was just doing the same things over and over again, just to get better at it and have a normal knee again.
"It looks easy, but it's a pretty big thing that the surgeon did in my knee. So, just to come back from that and perform at the level the Premier League asks you to perform, it takes time," he said.
"I'm just hoping to come back onto the pitch and fight for my place. Hopefully, this year is going to be an even better one than 2025 for us as a team."