Colombian footballer suffers gruesome leg break

Colombian footballer Elkin Soto will be lucky to ever play again after suffering a stomach churning dislocated knee following a collision with a rival in a German Budesliga match.

The FC Mainz midfielder was chasing a bouncing ball and wound up to shoot at goal when Hamburg opponent Rafael Van der Va'art lunged from side-on to block the shot.

Soto missed the ball, but hit Van der Va'art's outstretched limb with such force that his left knee dislocated, resulting in a grotesque sight as his leg bent the wrong way.

Writhing on the turf in pain, Soto was stretchered from the field and later diagnosed with a broken tibia and fibula.

The injury was described by some observers as "one of the worst in football history" and couldn't have come at a worse time with Soto off contract at the end of the season.

However, Mainz sporting director Christian Hiedel was quick to reveal the club would honour its plan to sign the veteran to a new deal.

"As soon as his operation is done he can sign a new contract with us," Hiedel said.

Whether Soto ever plays again, however, is another matter with the Colombian facing a lengthy and difficult rehabilitation.