The American forward can't catch a break after it was confirmed that he will spend the rest of 2024 on the sidelines
No one in the world could properly understand what Daryl Dike was feeling at that moment, but anyone who has followed the American striker's career felt the exact same rush of sadness on Saturday. There he was, head in hands, shirt pulled over his face to hide whatever emotions were surely all over his face.
Right away, Dike knew what the rest of the world was going to find out soon enough. He'd suffered another injury, and it was another bad one, too. On Monday, Dike and West Brom confirmed the bad news. Torn Achilles, they said. Out for the rest of 2024. The future is once again somewhat uncertain.
It was another moment of awful, awful luck for the U.S. men's national team's unluckiest player. He'd only just recovered from another catastrophic injury and, for the first time in a while, things were starting to look up for the 23-year-old striker.
Now, he faces another year of recovery, rehab and self-reflecting. It's a horrible shame, as another year will go by with Dike and everyone else wondering what could, and should, have been.
GettyDike's history of injuries
He's only 23, but this isn't Dike's first setback. Unfortunately, these types of roadblocks have popped up all too often in his young career.
Dike burst onto the professional scene in 2020 with Orlando City as a shining rookie out of the University of Virginia. Drafted fifth overall that January, Dike didn't make his debut until July, but it didn't take him long to become a star in MLS.
In his first season, he scored eight goals, while in his second, he netted 11, despite missing the first half of the campaign to score nine goals while on loan at Barnsley. After just two professional seasons, West Brom came calling in 2022, and paid $9.5 million (£7m) to bring Dike to the Championship.
His time at The Hawthorns, though, has been dominated by the injury bug. A hamstring problem ruled him out of much of his first half-season back in England before, in April 2023, he suffered a horrible Achilles injury in his right leg, knocking him out of action until January 2024.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesHeartbreaking moment
It seemed that Dike knew right away that his latest setback was serious. This wasn't a tweak or a knock; this was something that felt all too familiar.
The injury came in the 65th minute of West Brom's match against Ipswich Town. Dike had been introduced just 10 minutes earlier. With the score level at 1-1, West Brom needed a spark; instead, they got a gut punch.
Dike hobbled off the pitch with the assistance of two team officials between then being carted off with his head in his hands. It took less than 24 hours for West Brom to confirm the inevitable: Just one month after returning from a horrible Achilles injury, Dike's road to recovery begins again, this time on the opposite side.
Getty ImagesWorst fears confirmed
West Brom's statement came out midday in the U.S., confirming what everyone feared: "Albion can confirm Daryl Dike will be out until the end of 2024 after suffering an Achilles tendon injury at Ipswich Town on Saturday. A rupture of the USA international’s left Achilles will require surgery, followed by a period of rehabilitation. The club will provide Daryl with all the care and support he needs to return to full fitness later this year."
Those outside of the club had feared the worst, and that was what they got. Dike signed for West Brom 773 days ago and, as of Tuesday, he'll now have been battling an injury for 416 of those days, with a whole lot more ahead as his rehab begins.
Dike speaks out
It's hard to fathom what's going through Dike's head. As a player, it's awful, another year away from the game. But as a person? What a happiness-destroyer this must be. Having worked so hard to get back, Dike has had it all taken away from him once again.
In a statement released on Monday, Dike admitted that this is all very difficult. Mentally, it's already taking its toll. In a vulnerable moment, the striker admitted that he's been brought to tears during this process.
But those tears haven't all been sadness. Some, instead, have been thankful tears as he's realized the support he has around him.
"I have been trying to wrap my head around the situation and I honestly still can't, nor do I think I will be able to for a while," he said in that statement. "One thing I quickly realized, however, is how blessed I am to have so many supporters around me. The amount of messages, videos and comments that I have received has been unbelievable. I see them all. I genuinely do not even know how to thank you all. The things that I have seen have filled my heart and my spirits so much.
"I have been brought to tears numerous times. As many of you know, I have been injured multiple times and it has made it easy for me to think negatively. Luckily, this support has pushed many positive thoughts back in. No matter how many times I get knocked down, I will keep getting back up."