Arsenal’s Eduardo says he is determined to make a quick return to football after undergoing surgery for a double fracture of his leg.
The striker suffered the horrific injury on Saturday after a tackle from Birmingham captain Martin Taylor.
“All I remember is that when I fell, I looked down at my foot and it had turned the other way. The rest is just a blank,” he said.
“My concentration is on making as quick a recovery as possible. I am determined to overcome this injury.”
He will miss the rest of the season and Croatia’s Euro 2008 campaign.
“It was an unfortunate situation but these things can happen in football,” Eduardo added.
“I would like to say how touched I am by the many messages of support I have received and to be surrounded by my loved ones at this time.”
Croatia manager Slaven Bilic described the injury as “horrible” while Croatia captain Niko Kovac said: “I can’t believe such brutality still exists in football.”
Taylor was heavily criticised by Wenger on Saturday with the Arsenal manager initially calling for the player to be banned from football for life.
Taylor’s team-mate Stephen Kelly came to the defence of his captain.
“I think Mr Wenger’s comments after the game were so harsh,” said Kelly.
“That is disgraceful talk from Arsene Wenger. It is terrible. You know the way Martin is. He slid along the ground.
“He has gone in with one foot. You see players going in week in and week out, diving in with two feet, and lunging and that sort of thing is a disgraceful challenge.
“It is a terrible thing for Wenger to say, especially about someone like Martin.
“It wasn’t a malicious tackle and the reason the ref has sent him off is because he has seen Eduardo has broken his leg.
“I don’t think you can send a player off for that. That’s football. It can happen. It is an accident.”
