LONDON — Guglielmo Vicario, the goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur, revealed that he played for an entire hour during the match against Manchester City with a fractured right ankle that ultimately required surgical intervention.

Despite receiving treatment for his injured ankle during the first half, Vicario showcased remarkable resilience by making several crucial saves and maintaining a clean sheet in Tottenham’s impressive 4-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium last Saturday. He completed the match without any substitutions.

In a heartfelt post on Instagram, the Italian international reflected on the experience: “Football sometimes delivers moments of joy, and at other times, it tests us in unexpected ways,” he shared late Monday. “I played 60 minutes at the Etihad with a broken bone in my ankle, giving everything I had for the team. Unfortunately, this situation required surgery to address the problem.”

Tottenham later confirmed that the 28-year-old Vicario successfully underwent surgery on Monday afternoon.

With Vicario sidelined, 36-year-old Fraser Forster is expected to step in as the starting goalkeeper.

Vicario also took this opportunity to express his determination to recover, stating, “The operation was a success, and starting tomorrow, I will dedicate myself to working hard to return stronger, fitter, and ready to contribute for you all again.”

This situation brought to mind the legendary story of former Manchester City goalkeeper Bert Trautmann, who famously continued playing after suffering a neck injury during the 1956 FA Cup final. At that time, Trautmann played through the pain and helped his team secure a 3-1 victory over Birmingham City.