Joleon Lescott explains how he got facial scars in horror accident that left him in coma

Joleon Lescott was just five years old when he was hit by a car and left in a coma with the ex-England defender still having the scars visible on his forehead.

Joleon Lescott

Joleon Lescott was in a coma after getting hit by a car at five years old (Image: Getty)

Joleon Lescott has recounted the harrowing incident from his childhood when he was struck by a car – an accident that left him with distinctive scars on his forehead. The ex-Everton and Manchester City star opened up about the traumatic experience on The Rest Is Football podcast, revealing the details of the car accident that occurred when he was just five years old.

Speaking to Gary Lineker, the current England coach under interim manager Lee Carsley shared the chilling details. "I was leaving school and was crossing the road and [I] was next to a lollipop lady and she put out the sign as they do and I was on her right-hand side, she stepped out, I stepped out, she recognised the car wasn't stopping so she stepped back.

"But I was already out on the road and literally my mum was on the opposite watching," he explained. Lescott continued, detailing the aftermath of the collision: "So I got hit by the car, dragged down the road a little bit, then ended up with scars and was in a coma for a while and hospital for a longer while. [I] was in and out of hospital, my last operation [was when] I was 15."

The Mirror reports when he was quizzed by the Match of the Day presenter about whether the scars affected his ability to play sports, Lescott responded: "I don't know to be honest, it's not something I tend to dwell on that aspect of it because it's upsetting [to my] parents. But in regards to the impact physically, no."

"It was crazy, there was a guy next to me on the ward who just had a bandage on his head and had a little scar on his eyebrow, he was always sleeping [and] always in a coma. When I asked my mum, 'what's the story there', he got hit by a wing mirror, like a van was going on the curb and a wing mirror hit him and gave him brain damage.

Joleon Lescott

Joleon Lescott recalled his horror car crash on The Rest is Football podcast (Image: The Rest Is Football / Youtube)

"He had the smallest scar and I'm there with bandages everywhere, blood, scars, and stitches, and I'm like, 'I'm okay'. So as much as the scars have brought attention, I'd take that than his outcome."

Since hanging up his boots in 2019 following a spell with Aston Villa, Lescott has carved out a successful career as a pundit and also joined Carsley's coaching staff with the England U21s. With Carsley stepping up as interim manager for England in August, Lescott has been appointed to the senior team's backroom staff.

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