Second set of twins a good distraction from injury – Maddison
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has spoken about how the arrival of a second set of twins helped him cope during a serious knee injury that ruled him out for most of the 2025-26 season. The 29-year-old ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament last August and described the ensuing year as the toughest of his life, but said focusing on his partner and children gave him a positive distraction from the physical and mental toll of his recovery.
Speaking to Kelly Somers for BBC One's The Football Interview, Maddison said he and his partner now have five children aged four and under, and admitted family life had been chaotic but rewarding. He also reflected on Spurs' difficult season, which saw them narrowly avoid relegation, and praised the impact of new head coach Roberto de Zerbi, who worked to rebuild team spirit after taking charge in March, including organising a relaxed team meal and easing Maddison back into the squad before his eventual return against Leeds in May, ending a 375-day absence.
- Maddison says his second twins helped him through ACL injury recovery
- He missed most of the season after rupturing his ACL last August
- Praises De Zerbi for lifting Tottenham's mood after taking over in March
New here? Start with this
Tottenham Hotspur have endured a turbulent 2025-26 season, with James Maddison, one of their key midfielders, missing almost all of it after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in his knee last August. Such injuries typically require close to a year of recovery, and Maddison, 29, has described the process as physically and mentally gruelling.
Away from football, Maddison and his partner welcomed a second set of twins during this period, bringing their number of children to five, all aged four and under. He has spoken publicly about family life alongside his recovery and Spurs' season, which included a change of head coach when Roberto de Zerbi took over in March, following a period in which the club came close to relegation.
Maddison eventually returned to first-team action against Leeds in May, having been out for 375 days. His comments, made in an interview for BBC One, touch on both his personal circumstances during that absence and the wider context of Spurs' difficult campaign under new management.