Injury: that short, unmistakable word; the heart wrenching ping, snap, twist, pull, tear or break.
It is a harsh reality sportsmen must face when competing at the highest level: that their bodies could, at any point, give in on them.
The tragic event which could befall anyone – the end of their career as they know it, at least.
Louis Saha is one of these people, one of the unfortunate few that were chosen and could do little to battle their way through the trials and tribulations of recovery.
The former Manchester United man made the switch from Craven Cottage to Old Trafford in 2004¸ presumably full of hope and anticipation for his then fledging career at one of the world’s most iconic clubs.
At 25-years-of-age there were no immediate signs of ill-health or physical fatigue – he was in the prime of his career, having already established himself as a talent at his former club Fulham, netting an impressive 26 league goals in 73 appearances.
From January to the end of the season Louis Saha was everything Manchester United could have hoped for.
He released some of the immense pressure which had been piling on Ruud van Nistelrooy in the wake of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s injury, scoring seven times in 12 Premier League appearances.
It truly was very promising stuff.
But fate reared its ugly head and cruelly struck the forward down the following season.
Saha would spend a month out of action after picking up an injury on international duty – a largely unnecessary risk players faced during the period of obsolete ‘friendly’ matches, pre-UEFA Nations League.
He returned but was never the same. Indeed, like with most injuries, players carry scarring; not the kind you can see, but the type that harbours itself inside the players head – those niggling worries that the injury may hit again.
And it did – a savage blow of stark similarity rained upon him – the same infliction under the very same circumstances on international duty.
He would spend two months out.
And again. Three months sidelined at the start of the following season.
In an amazing display of defiance Saha would return and re-establish himself in the first-team scoring 15 goals during the 2005/06 campaign, later replacing the outbound Ruud van Nistelrooy, who joined Real Madrid in summer 2006.
Saha burdened the responsibility well. He had become the player Manchester United initially invested in; the pacey, mercurial, goalscoring talent that belonged in the starting line-up.
There was some consistency about his game until he was hit with more complication – this time affecting his groin and hamstring.
A single, paltry goal would sit solitarily alone on Saha’s record that season – a sad indication that the injuries had taken their toll.
An absence from Manchester United’s famous Champions League victory would be the final nail in the coffin for Saha, and he would agree to be moved on later that year.
Injuries would ultimately hamper his career at Everton, Sunderland and Lazio, where he eventually retired.
When asked by Shortlist who the best forward he played with was Wayne Rooney answered: “That’s so hard. There are so many… [thinks hard] I’m going to say Louis Saha. He’s a fantastic player; a real handful for anyone and I just really enjoyed playing off him. He was so lively and made great runs in behind. Always making space for others.”
This is both a testament to his quality and the catastrophic turn his career took.