West Ham striker Michail Antonio, 34, experienced a harrowing ordeal on Saturday when his £260,000 Ferrari FF crashed into a tree in Theydon Bois, Essex, leaving him trapped and disoriented. The devastating impact ripped apart the driver’s side of the vehicle, seemingly propelling Antonio across the car to the passenger seat. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with smoke billowing from the wrecked vehicle, deterring some from approaching. The location of the crash was near the residence of West Ham owner David Sullivan, adding another layer of coincidence to the incident. Miraculously, Antonio escaped with a fractured lower limb, a relatively minor injury considering the severity of the crash. He was extracted from the mangled wreckage after nearly an hour and airlifted to a London hospital, where he underwent surgery and is currently recovering.
The first person to reach the scene was Samuel Woods, a 34-year-old carer, who initially mistook the wrecked Ferrari for an abandoned vehicle. After realizing someone was trapped inside, Woods approached and found Antonio in a state of confusion. The footballer, disoriented from the impact, repeatedly asked Woods where he was, what had happened, and what car he was in. Woods reassured Antonio that help was on its way and stayed with him until paramedics arrived. The strong smell of petrol emanating from the damaged Ferrari added to the urgency of the situation. Woods, not a football follower, didn’t recognize the injured driver as the Premier League star.
Other witnesses corroborated the extent of the damage to the Ferrari, describing it as a “total mess,” with smoke rising from the wreckage. The incident quickly garnered attention, with thousands of fans expressing concern and sending well wishes to the injured player. West Ham United issued a statement confirming Antonio’s surgery for a lower limb fracture and assuring fans that he was in stable condition and receiving ongoing medical care. The club also expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from the football community and thanked the emergency services and medical personnel involved in the rescue and treatment of their player.
Antonio’s ex-wife, Debbie, traveled from Manchester to be by his side during his recovery. Messages of support poured in from current and former teammates, including Declan Rice and Maxwel Cornet, who offered prayers and expressed solidarity with the popular player. This incident marks the second serious car crash for Antonio. In 2019, he crashed a £210,000 Lamborghini into a garden wall on Christmas Day.
The Ferrari FF involved in the crash was lauded as the fastest four-seat car in the world upon its release in 2011, capable of reaching speeds of 208mph and accelerating from 0 to 62mph in a mere 3.7 seconds. Antonio’s successful football career began with Nottingham Forest before his £7 million transfer to West Ham in 2015. He has since become the club’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer, with 68 goals in 268 appearances.
Beyond his on-field achievements, Antonio co-hosts the BBC’s “Footballer’s Football” podcast alongside Newcastle United striker Callum Wilson. While he has been called up to the England national squad three times, he never made an appearance for the Three Lions. In 2021, Antonio switched his international allegiance to Jamaica, the birthplace of his parents, and has earned 21 caps for the Reggae Boyz. This latest incident adds another chapter to the eventful life of Michail Antonio, a player known for his dynamic performances on the pitch and his engaging personality off it.
