Here’s a Sonny Side of Sports salute for Charlie Davies, a 23-year-old American striker who made an inspirational comeback in a bid to play at the World Cup in South Africa. Before a terrible car crash in October 2009, Davies was considered a top candidate for the USA’s 2010 World Cup team. He excelled at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament in South Africa, and during the USA’s World Cup qualifying campaign, becoming one of the top scoring threats for the Americans.
But, a day before a World Cup qualifying match against Costa Rica at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., Davies was a passenger in a vehicle that crashed on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, just outside the nation’s capital. A second passenger died in the crash. Davies suffered numerous injuries, including a broken right femur, tibia and fibula, as well as a dislocated elbow and lacerated bladder.
Davies made remarkable progress in his rehabilitation, and resumed training with his French club Sochaux in April. USA head coach Bob Bradley said Davies showed incredible heart and determination during his recovery, but in the end, he decided not to include him on his World Cup roster.
On his Twitter page, Davies wrote: “It was a very sad day for me (not to be included on the USA World Cup team) … I will be back stronger than ever.” Here’s hoping we’ll see Charlie Davies on the 2014 USA World Cup team.