Wilkinson, Ali, Larsson, Harris, Capriati - Sportsmail salutes the comeback kings (and queens)
By
Mark Lawford
Last updated at 2:03 PM on 17th February 2009
Eduardo made his return to football this week less than a year after his horrific leg break.
Great to be back: Eduardo celebrates his second goal
The Croatia striker bagged two goals for Arsenal against Cardiff to complete a remarkable comeback that left even Bluebirds fans applauding.
The 25-year-old will hope to continue his recovery and revive his country's flagging World Cup qualifying fortunes but for the time being he is just happy following the 'best night' of his career.
So Eduardo joins the long line of sporting Lazaruses, getting back to the top after injury, illness or even worse put their sporting career on hold.
Sportsmail looks back at some of the bigger names who did it once then did it again after being written off.
Jonny Wilkinson
The hero of England's victorious rugby World Cup campaign has been beset by injuries ever since.
Knee ligament, arm, shoulder and kidney injuries all conspired to keep the fly-half out of the game.
He spent 1169 days in the Test wilderness before pulling on an England shirt again and starring in the 2007 Six Nations.
Comeback kid: Jonny Wilkinson converts his own try against Scotland in 2007
When he returned, albeit briefly, he scored 27 points on his comeback against Scotland then became the highest points scorer in Five/Six Nations history against Italy the following week.
Four quarter-final penalties against Australia in 2007 made him the highest-ever points scorer in World Cup history and in 2008 he became the first English player to pass 1000 points before overtaking Neil Jenkins to become rugby's all-time points scorer. He now has 1,032 Test points.
Injured again at the start of this season when dislocating a knee, Wilkinson will miss another entire Six Nations but, at 29, has not yet given up hope of playing for England again and adding to his a 70-cap haul that would be past 100 were it not for some horrific bad luck.
Bob Champion/Aldaniti
Bob Champion recovered from testicular cancer as well as a full programme of chemotherapy in 1979 to win the 1981 Grand National on Aldaniti.
The victory was all the more remarkable given the chestnut gelding had recently recovered from his own career-threatening injury.
The pair (pictured right) won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year team award that year - Aldaniti went on to die aged 27 in 1997.
Muhammad Ali
Voted sportsman on the 20th century, Muhammad Ali dominated heavyweight boxing in the 1960s and 70s - but his biggest victory was against the US Government.
As Cassius Clay, he had become world champion in 1965 by hammering Sonny Liston and was unbeaten in the ring when he was drafted into the army.
Having converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, he refused to step forward when called in 1967.
Job done: Muhammad Ali looks on as George Foreman is counted out in 1974
He was taking a stand against the Vietnam war and insisted only Allah could get him to fight.
It carried a prison sentence and massive fine but Ali fought every inch of the way as popular American opinion turned against the war.
He was stripped of his boxing license but this decision was overturned by the Supreme Court in 1971.
He did manage to get a few fights from 1970 but his comeback was completed in 1974 when he regained the world title from George Foreman - and even won it back a third time against Leon Spinks in 1978.
Neil Harris
Having guided Millwall to promotion in 2001 by winning the Golden Boot as the Football League's top scorer, Neil Harris' world fell apart close season when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
However, Harris (left) was back in a Millwall shirt within six months, scored on his comeback game against Watford on New Year's Day 2002, won an FA Cup runners-up medal in 2004, played in the UEFA Cup that same year and last month grabbed his 112th goal for the Lions to overhaul Teddy Sheringham to become the highest-scoring Millwall player ever.
Jennifer Capriati
The 1992 Olympic gold medalist's career spiralled when she was caught in possession of drugs in 1994, just months after a shoplifting scandal.
The 17-year-old had only reached Grand Slam semi-finals at the time and looked doomed to failure when she disappeared from game completely for 15 months.
You beauty: Capriati kisses the French Open trophy in 2001
Re-emerging in 1996, Capriati slowly regained her form and dominated the women's game at the turn of the century.
In 2001 she won the French and Australian titles and reached the semi-finals at Wimbledon and the US to reclaim the world No.1 spot.
Three more Grand Slam semis followed but she had not played since 2004 because of injury.
Jonah Lomu
The sight of the huge New Zealander steamrollering Mike Catt during his four-try demoltion of England in the 1995 World Cup semi-final established Lomu as rugby's first global superstar.
At 6ft 5in and weighing in at 18stones, Lomu was a formidable opponent and his 15 World Cup tries is a record.
I stop for no-one: Jonah Lomu flattens Mike Catt in 1995
But in 1996 he was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, a rare and dangerous kidney condition and by 2003, Lomu was on dialysis three times a week.
All the time Lomu was somehow playing despite the severity of his illness.
In 2004 he had a kidney transplant and even while he recovered in hospital was targeting a 2005 comeback.
Once recovered, Lomu did indeed return to top flight rugby with Cardiff Blues but he returned home after ten games and retired after a series of injuries in 2007.
Simon Jones
Possibly the unluckiest cricketer ever. In the 2002-03 Ashes Jones severely damaged his knee while sliding to field the ball on the first morning of the first Test and did not pull on an England shirt again for over a year while he recovered.
Although he played against the West Indies and South Africa, Jones never forgave the Australian fans who had mocked and laughed at him while he being carried off in agony at Brisbane.
Gottim: Simon Jones bowls Michael Clarke in 2005
So he was determined to make the Aussies pay at the 2005 Ashes - which he subsequently did with 18 wickets before another injury forced him out of the deciding Oval Test.
He has not played for England in almost four years. In fact he has hardly played any cricket at all having stacked up a Wilkinson-eque list of injuries since - but is still hopeful of getting his Test place back following knee surgery six months ago.
Sugar Ray Leonard
Three years after retiring because of detached retinas and a series of operations on his eyes, welterweight Sugar Ray challenged Marvellous Marvin Hagler for his world middleweight crown. And on April 6 1987, Leonard pulled off one of the biggest shocks in boxing history when he beat the legendary Hagler on a split decision.
Eye can see you: Sugar Ray Leonard beat Marvin Hagler into retirement
Henrik Larsson
Celtic striker Henrik Larsson suffered a career-threatening break in October 1999 when his lower left leg snapped in half after a clash with Lyon a defender in a UEFA Cup match.
The dreadlocked Swede spent eight months on the sidelines but returned on the last day of the season and even played for for his country in Euro 2000.
He was then leading SPL scorer for the next four seasons before he joined Barcelona and won the Champions League - and even came on loan to Manchester United last season where he played seven games.
Sickening clash: Henrik Larsson's leg was smashed after this challenge from Lyon's Serge Blanc
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Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below?
I believe Larsson actually won the European Golden Boot in his return season from injury, helping Celtic to their first treble since Jock Stein was in charge. Some player and still going strong!
But how on earth can you have missed off Lance Armstrong? Practically dead with a body riddled with cancer, he not only overcame that and returned to professional cycling, he went on to win the Tour de France a world record 7 times, arguably becoming the greatest cyclist who ever lived.
i think you've missed the biggest one, Lance Armstrong!!
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Wot? no Lance Armstrong?
- Paul, B'ham, UK, 17/2/2009 14:48