Hi everyone,

My name is Annaliza Jacovides (AJ), and I’m 22 years old.

Those who know me will know that becoming a footballer is my dream. I’ve dedicated countless hours to training and the gym, always putting in the work and doing everything I can to achieve this goal.

I’ve been playing football for nine years and currently play for MK Dons Women, where I’ve been for the past four years. During that time, I became vice-captain and, until my injury, was a regular starter for the first team.

In September 2025, during a league game against Luton, I attempted to change direction when I felt a sharp pain in my right knee, which resulted in me having to stop and sit down for treatment. As I sat there, I remember thinking, “It can’t be serious.” I tried to stand up, but I couldn’t. I didn’t want to believe it was anything serious, and I found it really hard to accept that I could potentially be out for a long period. I’d never experienced a serious injury before, so I didn’t know what to expect.

I then had an MRI scan, which unfortunately revealed that I had a chondral defect in the cartilage of my knee, which essentially means there is now a hole in my cartilage. The problem was that this type of injury does not heal on its own.

After seeing the consultant, we decided to try rehabilitation and strengthen the muscles around the knee so that I wouldn’t feel pain when playing. However, that wouldn’t fix the underlying issue. From September until the end of January, I worked tirelessly in the gym to get stronger and give myself the best possible chance of returning to football. It was an extremely difficult period mentally, having to put in all of that work while being unable to play and knowing there was a chance it might not work.

I managed to return to playing at the end of January. I started on the bench, gradually building up my minutes and waiting for opportunities to earn my place back in the squad. On 29 March 2026, we played Fulham. The coach gave me more game time, but unfortunately, during the match, I suddenly felt the same pain in my knee. I didn’t want to believe it was happening again, so I tried to finish the game, but deep down I knew something was wrong.

Since then, I’ve had another MRI scan, which has shown that the chondral defect is still there. I’ve met with the consultant again, and we’ve discussed all of my options. The only chance I have of playing football again is through a procedure called microfracture surgery.

Football means everything to me, and I can’t imagine my life without it. At 22 years old, I’m not ready to give it up. I want to give myself the chance to play again, and surgery is the only way to do that. Following the operation, it will be around six weeks before I can bear weight on my leg again and approximately six months before I can return to playing football.

From the first day I was injured, I never imagined this would be the outcome. Every day is a mental battle to keep pushing forward and continue working in the gym to give myself the best possible chance of recovery after surgery. It’s going to be a difficult road ahead, but my drive, passion, and dedication will help me get through it, even with the setbacks and challenges that I will naturally face along the way.

I’ve created this GoFundMe because I need financial assistance. My surgery is scheduled for July and will cost approximately £7,000. If I don’t have the surgery, I’ll never be able to play football again.

I’ve dedicated my life to this game. I work part-time as a bartender to allow myself the flexibility to do extra training, additional gym work, and get the right amount of sleep. While I was playing, I sacrificed money, free time, and time with family and friends in order to build my life around my dream of becoming a professional footballer. But if I can’t have this surgery, that dream ends here.

So please, any donation, no matter how small, would be greatly appreciated. I wouldn’t be asking for help if it wasn’t absolutely necessary.

Thank you.