Eric Abidal's cancer story was, without a doubt, one of the most shocking experiences of his life. Years after beating the disease, the former French footballer shared some details about his road to recovery, which players boosted his confidence, and those who asked him not to share any details about his fight.
The player, speaking in an interview with French TV channel Canal +, revealed how fortunate he was to overcome this disease, especially when thinking about the pain he felt prior to his operation.
"It was unbearable. That pain will be drilled forever inside my mind. When the doctor told me he had to operate me, I was happy to do it. I wish no one experiences the pain I felt," Abidal stated.
Abidal also recalled one visit that helped him battle the disease. Thierry Henry made time in his busy schedule in order to make the trip from New York to visit him in Europe.
"It was nice to have 'Titi' coming to see me. I didn't want to say hi, I didn't want him to look at me in such a bad shape, but it was a really nice gesture, I cried like a baby when I saw him," the ex-footballer added.
Abidal (right) lifts the 2010-11 UEFA Champions League title months after beating cancer.
Before the interview concluded, Abidal shared one moment that surprised him, and it had to do with some of his Barcelona team-mates, namely Lionel Messi. The French center back recalled how "La Pulga" asked him not to send the team any motivational tapes while he was sick, due to the negative effect they could have in their confidence.
"Some of them were baffled by my weight loss. Before a game, I sent them a video trying to cheer them up. I remember that Messi came and told me 'please don't send us those videos anymore, it hurts us. I was trying to encourage them, but they told me I looked like a corpse and it left them unsettled," Abidal concluded.
