Rylee Foster: Canada and Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper discusses 'horrible' return from car crash

Rylee Foster (left) played five times for Liverpool before a devastating car crash put her life at risk

Two years ago Rylee Foster's world was turned upside down. Football was not on her mind - she was just happy to be alive.

The former Liverpool goalkeeper was involved in a car crash while on holiday with friends in Finland and was thrown through the windscreen as a result of a malfunctioning seatbelt.

She had emergency spinal surgery after suffering seven neck fractures and was forced to wear a halo device to keep her neck immobilised. Doctors said it was unlikely she would ever play football again.

What followed was a gruelling two-year road to recovery in which Foster doubted everything, including whether she should have become a professional footballer in the first place.

'Was there something else out there for me?'

While Liverpool won the Women's Championship in 2022, Foster was unable to play and undergoing rehabilitation, not knowing if it would actually lead to a return to football.

She supported her team-mates, continued to work hard in the gym and told fans she was edging closer to a return. But what she really believed was the opposite.

"When you are out of the game for so long you lose that spark," said the 25-year-old.

"You lose that passion because you are away from the environment and not doing it every day. You start navigating different areas of your life."

With football out of the equation, Foster began studying for a Law School Admission Test and worked towards a finance degree with support from the Professional Footballers' Association.

"Those opportunities made me wonder if my injuries were a way of directing me into a different way of life," said Foster.

"Was I always going down the football path just because I was good at it? Or was there something else out there for me that was what I was meant to be doing?

"That was an inner battle I was constantly having with myself. I was trying to figure out what the best way of handling it all was."

Foster found herself being "challenged cognitively" in ways she had not experienced before in football.

"While recovering from a brain injury, I was becoming smarter and learning!" she added.

The longer Foster spent away from the pitch, the harder it became, until the moment when she finally got her hands on a football again.

"Knowing I could return to training - that was when I gained confidence and committed more to it," said Foster.

"But for about 60-75% of my rehab, I just wanted to have a quality of life. In front of the camera and to people's faces I was saying 'yeah, I'll be back soon'. But in my head I wasn't really sure what was going to happen."

'I just wanted someone to take a chance'

Foster was told she was unlikely to play football again but focused hard on rehabilitation

By this summer Foster had recovered enough to return to football, but her contract had expired at Liverpool and they chose not to renew it, meaning she faced an anxious search for a new club having not played for two years.

"I was already stigmatised. I had probably one of the most gruesome injuries and no club wanted to take a risk on me, especially as they didn't know how I was going to recover," said Foster.

Foster spent around three weeks on trial with Celtic, playing in five pre-season matches, but was not offered a contract having failed a medical for what she says was a "misdiagnosis" of a knee injury.

"When everything fell through at Celtic it made things worse. Here I was playing, then a failed medical doesn't look good," said Foster.

"News travels fast in the women's game. I had to prove myself all over again after fighting for the last two years to get back. It was difficult.

"I was getting clubs saying 'we can't take the risk' and 'we're going to go for this keeper because they are more healthy'. I understand and respect those decisions but I just wanted someone to take a chance, to trust in me and take that risk."

New Zealand club Wellington Phoenix eventually did that, contacting Foster while she was on another trial with Blackburn Rovers. She signed a contract with Wellington in September.

"I'm so thankful to Wellington. I honestly think they will get the best version of myself," added Foster.

"[My recovery] was horrible - I never want to do it again. But at the same time I'm proud of myself because I learned so much and grew so much from the experience."

'Now I just enjoy the game'

Foster is competing with New Zealand goalkeeper Brianna Edwards at Wellington Phoenix

Foster says her return to football has been "joyful" and she now has a new outlook on things.

"I felt like a dog that was being let outside and off the lead. It was so enjoyable, running around and just being free," added Foster.

"I thought, 'I'm back'. I realised I hadn't actually lost anything [in terms of performance] too.

"I was worried how I would react when I returned to training. Was I going to be brave and hesitant? But I became more fearless than I was prior to the injury.

"I was confident and playing with so much freedom. Now I just enjoy the game. I have fun and don't feel pressure. I'm just having a great time and training better than I have in my entire life."

Foster made her on-field return in her first Wellington match on Sunday, against Melbourne City, 731 days since her last appearance.

But she still has work to do. She wants to gain regular game time with Wellington and push for a return to international football.

She was called up to the Canada senior squad for the first time in 2021 and wants to help them defend their Olympic crown next year.

"I know I need game time so I'm thinking of myself as a 'rookie' this season. I just need to put myself back on the map," said Foster.

"I want to be back with the national team by the end of the year. We have the Olympics coming up so that's the goal. I really, really want to do that.

"But I also just want to enjoy the game and recognise that it can be taken away from you at any moment."