Dejan Kulusevski has said that he is "smarter" after ending a 526-day injury-enforced absence as Tottenham beat Coventry on Monday.
The Sweden winger came off the bench in the 86th minute to make his first appearance since a serious knee injury sustained on May 11, 2025.
Tottenham claimed their first Premier League win of the season, winning 3-1 after James Maddison -- on his first start since May 1, 2025 -- curled in a superb opener.
Kulusevski told Sky Sports afterwards: "I will tell everyone about the journey. It has been an amazing journey, even if it has been hard sometimes. Hard is beautiful.
"I am so grateful that I had to experience it. Now, I am ready to play football.
"I see myself as different now. I think that I am a different man. The same guy that wants to play football, but a little bit smarter, so I am happy."
Kulusevski received a rapturous response from the Tottenham faithful during his warm-up and when he came on.
"I was locked in, I was ready to play those 10 minutes and make a good impact," he said.
Kulusevski thanked the fans for their response: "It's amazing. It was more emotional this morning. It's a beautiful day and I am so happy that we won."
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Maddison, whose own return from injury had been restricted to substitute appearances this season so far, said after scoring a screamer on his first start: "They're the ones you dream of. Without going too deep into it, those dark days last year, recovering from the ACL, you dream of them moments, them goals and that is the light at the end of the tunnel.
"That is why I was a bit emotional and I felt really proud of Dejan Kulusevski as well because him coming back. "I knew exactly that feeling of him stepping onto the pitch after that time out, but those moments and goals make it all worth it."
Roberto De Zerbi said about the returning duo: "They are different players, different talent, different experience, different personality. With them in the dressing room, there is another atmosphere."