Wales star Kieffer Moore nearly quit football after fracturing his skull and being left unconscious for EIGHT minutes
KIEFFER MOORE almost quit football after he fractured his skull.
Wigan’s Wales hitman revealed the horrific injury — sustained playing for Barnsley when he clashed with Gillingham’s Gabriel Zakuani in February — left him unconscious for EIGHT MINUTES and with blood streaming out of his ears.
Moore made a remarkable return to club action at the end of last season and the 27-year-old is continuing his stunning recovery with impressive displays in his first three caps for the Dragons.
Last month, he spilled blood for the Welsh cause during the 1-1 draw in Slovakia.
And he will again give everything in Azerbaijan on Saturday as he bids to help his country reach Euro 2020.
Asked if he spoke to medics about having to retire, 6ft 5in target man Moore admitted: “Yes, there were talks about that. It was a horrendous injury.
“At the time I didn’t remember much but as the weeks went on I started remembering it all again.
“I went up for a header and the defender headed the side of my head.
I had blood streaming out of my ears. It was quite graphic.
Moore On Head Blow
“I fractured my temporal bone and had a really nasty concussion. I wasn’t in a good way.
“I had blood streaming out of my ears. It was quite graphic.”
Ex-Tottenham and Hull midfielder Ryan Mason suffered a similar head injury and was forced to retire.
Moore added: “It was very similar to his.
“That split-second where you think you have won the ball — and then the next minute you are rushed off to hospital.
“It has put a lot of things into perspective for me, what I want from my career as a footballer. I’ll keep giving my all for the cause and the badge.”
He is in line to spearhead an attack including Gareth Bale of Real Madrid, Manchester United’s Daniel James and Aaron Ramsey of Juventus.
Moore laughed: “That’s not bad at all!
“I just need to keep getting in the right positions to take full advantage of it.
“Qualifying for the Euros would be a massive honour — not just for me but the whole nation. It really would mean everything.”