Inter Milan & Dutch Wingback Opens Up On “Tough Mental Battle” Amid Long-Term Injury | OneFootball

Inter Milan wingback Denzel Dumfries opened up on his mental battle amid a long-term absence due to injury.

Dumfries took to LinkedIn via FCInterNews to share his emotions, reflecting on the challenges he’s facing while on the sidelines.

It’s been a rough spell for the Dutch star, who sustained a serious ankle injury at the beginning of November.

After failing to recover for a month, Denzel Dumfries underwent surgery in early December to address the issue.

Therefore, he is expected to return to action in March, leaving Cristian Chivu strapped for reliable options on the right wing.

Furthermore, the 29-year-old faces an uncertain future at San Siro.

Indeed, he could leave Inter at the end of the season, given a €25 million release clause that will come into effect in June.

In the meantime, all he has to do is focus on regaining full fitness as soon as possible.

Inter Milan Ace Denzel Dumfries Reveals Tough Mental Battle Amid Injury

MILAN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 26: Denzel Dumfries of FC Internazionale reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD5 match between FC Internazionale Milano and RB Leipzig at Stadio San Siro on November 26, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Accept what you don’t want to accept,” Dumfries wrote.

“Inter–Lazio ended in a 2–0 victory, but for me, around the 40th minute, it felt like a heavy defeat. A Lazio player fell directly onto my ankle. Immediately, there was intense pain, but as stubborn as I am, I tried to keep playing. I managed that for about another fifteen minutes, until I had to leave the field in the second half.

“At first, I thought: this will pass. Just push through, and I can get back to it. But after a few weeks trying to heal on my own, I realized it wasn’t right. It didn’t feel good and wasn’t improving on its own. That made surgery on my syndesmosis unavoidable.

“Now, four weeks later, thanks to hard work, things are really going well, and it looks like I might return sooner than expected. From the moment I knew I needed surgery, I realized this would mostly be a mental battle. Not physical, but mental.

“Accepting the process and taking the time needed to fully recover were my biggest challenges. Constantly focusing on the bigger picture, while also learning to appreciate and recognize the small steps. Trainings that normally feel routine and where progress goes unnoticed suddenly became puzzle pieces that needed to fall exactly into place.

“The ultimate goal remained the same: come back sooner than people expect. Denzel remains Denzel – always seeking the unexpected. But hard work alone, as I’m used to, was suddenly no longer the solution. The combination of rest, acceptance, and hard work turned out to be the real remedy.

“You can’t move faster than nature, but you can learn to embrace it. This process has taught me a lot and continues to teach me every day. Grateful for this development, I’m getting back to work, because we’re not done yet. Hopefully, you’ll see me on the field again soon.