13 May 2026 09:00 BST |
4 min read
Adam Wharton has revealed he has “no memory” of helping Crystal Palace win their first major trophy after suffering concussion in last season’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
The 22-year-old was on the receiving end of a fierce shot from Kevin de Bruyne after 73 minutes at Wembley Stadium, which floored the midfielder and led to him being checked over by Palace’s medical staff.
Wharton ended up playing on until the 87th minute when his concussion proved to be so severe that he was eventually replaced by Will Hughes as Oliver Glasner’s side saw out their historic win.
But while his team-mates toasted their first piece of silverware in front of the jubilant Palace supporters, Wharton missed the post-match celebrations after being taken to hospital for further checks.
A year on from Palace’s triumph, the England international has now spoken candidly about the incident, detailing how his concussion was so bad that he had to watch highlights to prove he competed in the match.
In an interview with Scouted magazine, Wharton said: “I’ve watched a million clips back and I sort of know what happened, but there’s no memory or recollection of the game. I vaguely remember Ebs (Eze) scoring and Dean (Henderson) saving the penalty, but everything else is missing.
“It’s weird, because apparently I answered all the questions they asked me initially. I knew who I was, where I was, what the score was, but the concussion must’ve kicked in after because when I came back onto the pitch, I kept asking Chris (Richards) what the score was. He’s trying to concentrate, and I’m asking stupid questions.
“I don’t know how I played on for ten minutes after that.”
While Wharton was unable to soak up Palace’s FA Cup triumph at the time, he was able to celebrate their Community Shield success just three months later as Glasner’s side defeated Liverpool on penalties at Wembley.
The former Blackburn Rovers star is hoping to help Palace clinch a third trophy under Glasner’s stewardship when they lock horns with Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final on Wednesday, 27 May in Leipzig, Germany.
Analysis: Wharton has played key role in Palace’s trophy success
Wharton has been a revelation since joining Palace from his boyhood club Blackburn in February 2024.
The left-footed central midfielder has made the step up from the Championship to the Premier League look easy, acting as the beating heart in Glasner’s well-drilled 3-4-2-1 system.
Wharton, who has made 92 appearances in all competitions for Palace, will also be hoping to earn a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for this summer’s World Cup. He has received four caps for the Three Lions.
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers’ new app for all of football’s big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:
•Google Play
•App Store
