Summary of this article
Cesena goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann sustained a broken neck in a collision during the Serie B match against Palermo
He was stretchered off in a neck brace and taken to hospital, with scans confirming a fracture of the first cervical vertebra
Klinsmann announced on Instagram that his season is over, thanking Cesena and Palermo fans for their support
Italian second-tier side Cesena’s goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann suffered a broken neck after a nasty collision during the Serie B 2025-26 match against Palermo at the Renzo Barbera on Saturday.
The incident occurred during the closing stages of the match, when Klinsmann rushed out to make a save against a Palermo attack. He collided head-on with an opposition player straight and was immediately attended to by the paramedics. He was finally stretchered off the field in a neck brace and taken to a hospital in the Sicilian capital.
Watch the video of the injury below (at 3:38 timestamp):
“The tests carried out revealed the presence of a fracture at the level of the first cervical vertebra,” Cesena wrote in a statement, adding that he will “undergo further tests and a specialist neurosurgical consultation”.
“Unfortunately my season came to an end on Saturday,” Klinsmann wrote on Instagram. “During the match I suffered a fracture to my spine which will sideline me for a while.” He also thanked the fans of Cesena and Palermo “for the warm wishes” and his friends and family.
29-year-old Jonathan Klinsmann is the son of former Germany striker Jurgen Klinsmann. Born in Munich, he represented the United States team at the youth level. He has been called up to the senior side once in 2018 but has yet to make his debut. Klinsmann is also eligible to represent China and Hong Kong due to his mother’s lineage.
After a short spell with Major League Soccer (MLS) side LA Galaxy, Klinsmann joined Serie B side Cesena in February 2024 and has gone on to make 54 appearances for the northern Italian club.
Cesena, currently coached by former Arsenal and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole, are in a fight for promotion playoffs. They are in eighth spot in the standings and face Sampdoria on April 25.
