James Maddison was touched by what the Tottenham Hotspur fans did during his long-awaited comeback against Leeds United.
After being an unused substitute in three matches, Maddison finally made his first appearance of the season on Monday night, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute against Leeds.
Even though he has not played competitive football for a year, the 29-year-old immediately made a difference when he came on, showcasing his guile and creativity on the ball.
The attacking midfielder could have made a monumental impact on his return if not for being controversially denied a penalty late on.
James Maddison admits reception from Tottenham fans was special
Maddison has already opened up about the mental challenges he faced in his long road to fitness after suffering an ACL injury last summer.
The entirety of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium gave the former Leicester man a standing ovation when he was introduced on Monday, and the 29-year-old confessed that it was a special feeling.
Maddison wrote on X: “After the longest, toughest 12 months of my life, the reception you Spurs fans gave me yesterday made all the sacrifice & dark days absolutely worth it. Thank you so much. Back where I belong. Thank you to everyone for the support & especially my family & friends for helping me through this journey, wouldn’t have been able to do it without you.”
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The Tottenham star has publicly commented on the controversial penalty decision, insisting that it was he who got a small touch on the ball with the outside of the boot rather than Leeds forward Lukas Nmecha.
In that post, Maddison also said that the officials are “petrified” to make decisions in the age of VAR.