Two years ago, Rylee Foster's life took a dramatic turn as a car crash left her with severe injuries. The former Liverpool goalkeeper had to undergo emergency spinal surgery after suffering seven neck fractures, wear a halo device, and was told she might never play football again.
🍁Canadian Rylee Foster was involved in a car accident that saw her thrown 12 metres through the windscreen, with seven neck fractures and bleeding on the brain.
🏆Told she could’ve died, 731 days later she’s back in active competition for Wellington Phoenix FC.
📸Foster’s IG pic.twitter.com/5vxT66ws8O— SHE scores bangers (@SHEscoresbanger) October 15, 2023
Foster considered alternative career paths, including law and finance. As she told the BBC:"Those opportunities [to study further] made me wonder if my injuries were a way of directing me into a different way of life."
This challenging period provided Foster with a unique opportunity to explore her intellectual side, but she still longed to return to the pitch. Her two-year recovery journey was an emotional rollercoaster, marked by doubt and determination.
"Was I always going down the football path just because I was good at it? Or was there something else out there for me that was what I was meant to be doing?", Foster told the BBC.
"That was an inner battle I was constantly having with myself. I was trying to figure out what the best way of handling it all was."
By the summer of 2023, Foster was physically ready to play again. However, her contract with Liverpool had expired, and a misdiagnosis of a knee injury during a trial with Celtic made her search for a new club even more daunting.
"I was already stigmatised. I had probably one of the most gruesome injuries and no club wanted to take a risk on me, especially as they didn't know how I was going to recover," said Foster.
Yet, New Zealand club Wellington Phoenix took a chance on Foster, offering her a contract in September. Her return to football was nothing short of "joyful," and she's now driven by a new perspective: "I was confident and playing with so much freedom. Now I just enjoy the game. I have fun and don't feel pressure."
"This is probably one of the most amazing stories you could ever hear." 🥹
Rylee Foster's return to football 731 days after a life-altering car crash is one of the most heartwarming stories you'll ever see!
📺 Watch DubZone here: https://t.co/y4HzR0IZdX#ALW #DubZone pic.twitter.com/PIMzTtnjOI— Liberty A-League (@aleaguewomen) October 16, 2023
Rylee Foster marked her on-field return with Wellington Phoenix after 731 days since her last professional soccer appearance. She now aspires to return to international soccer and help Canada defend their Olympic crown.
"I know I need game time so I'm thinking of myself as a 'rookie' this season. I just need to put myself back on the map," said Foster.
"I want to be back with the national team by the end of the year. We have the Olympics coming up so that's the goal. I really, really want to do that.
"But I also just want to enjoy the game and recognise that it can be taken away from you at any moment."
