A life-changing event
Matt Crossen was a 23-year-old semi-professional footballer with high hopes when his life changed dramatically in 2013. He suffered a stroke that left him with cerebral palsy, a condition that affects movement and coordination. He had to learn how to walk, talk, and do basic tasks again, but he never gave up on his passion for football.
“I spent six days in hospital, learning to walk, talk, write, brush my teeth, brush my hair. I had to do it all from scratch, programming my brain back to how it was. That was the toughest part of going through it all,” he told BBC Sport.
“My focus was getting back playing. I didn’t know anything about the England CP setup initially. I worked in a gym at the time and I’d been off for three months, doing little training drills at home. When I got back to the gym, I took advantage of working there, doing spin class after spin class, which rebuilt the strength in my legs. I knew that if my legs were strong enough they would carry me and, from there, I could start to play football again.”
A new challenge
Crossen returned to training with his club Marske United, but he faced some challenges and doubts from others. “They were worried I would have another stroke,” he said. “There’s part of me from before my stroke that is gone. I know I’ll never get it back. I was getting the ball down, there was a comfort in myself and my game. It is still there, but not as much as before.”
He also discovered a new opportunity to play for the England cerebral palsy team, which competes in seven-a-side games with smaller goals. He was invited to a trial at St George’s Park, the national football centre, and he impressed the coaches with his skills and determination.
He made his debut in 2015 and has since become the captain and leader of the team. He has won 50 caps and scored 15 goals, including a seven-minute hat-trick against USA in the 2019 World Cup quarter-finals. He plays as a holding midfielder for England, while he also continues to play as a defender for Marske United in the Northern League.
A proud moment
Crossen said that one of his proudest moments was when he first went to St George’s Park with his grandfather, who has been his biggest supporter and critic. “He’s not well at the minute, so that will be a memory I will always look back on,” he said. “He’s taken me to all my away games and the St George’s training camps, not because I needed him to, but he always offers. ‘I’ll take you! Where are you going? What’s the plan?’”
He also said that being named as the captain of the England CP team in 2019 was a huge honour and responsibility. “It was a massive shock. I didn’t expect it at all,” he said. “It’s a privilege to lead the lads out. They’re a great bunch of lads and we’ve got a great bond. We’re like a family.”
A dream to achieve
Crossen and his teammates are now preparing for the European Championships in 2023, which will be held in Spain. They hope to emulate the success of the England women’s team, who won the tournament in 2017. They also aim to qualify for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris, which they missed out on in 2016 and 2020.
“We know secretly and collectively as a team where we want to be, and we’re going to do our best to hit those standards,” he said. “If we get in the top three of that and the Worlds, I will be happy with that. Obviously we want to win it, but we don’t want to jinx ourselves either.”
Crossen said that he wants to inspire other people with disabilities to play football and enjoy the game. He also wants to raise awareness and recognition of CP football, which he said has improved a lot in recent years thanks to the support of the FA and other organisations.
“When I first came into it, CP football was not as recognised as you see now. It’s stepped up to somewhere I never would have dreamt,” he said. “The progress that’s been made is unbelievable. The facilities, the coaching, the staff, the media, everything. It’s amazing to be part of it.”
