We were given exclusive access during Colwill’s gruelling recovery process and you can watch the mini-documentary now via CFC+, our new global content subscription service.

CFC+ will bring supporters closer to the club than ever before with our premium content, and nowhere is that clearer than the way Colwill opens up on the most challenging year of his career, as our cameras followed his progress and caught up with him after every milestone in his recovery.

CFC+ is available as a standalone annual subscription from £14.99 per year in the UK by clicking here. It is also included as standard to anyone with a True Blue+ Membership – our brand new tier of Official Chelsea Membership – or a Junior Blue Membership.

Back to the Backline can be viewed now in full with a subscription to CFC by clicking here.

The defender opened up, detailing his treatment and admitting to the mental struggles he endured, especially during the early days after suffering his injury, explaining how he was able to overcome them.

‘I didn’t believe it to be honest,’ he said, when reflecting on the moment he first found out he had suffered such a serious injury, so soon after the high of winning the FIFA Club World Cup and less than two weeks out from the start of the new Premier League season.

‘You’re flying, you’re buzzing, and all of a sudden you hit rock bottom.

‘When your life stops for eight or nine months, you know that you’re going to get through, whatever you can. It’s time to move on and you know the hard work really starts now.’

Colwill shared the support he received from the people who helped him get through those difficult times, from friends and family to the Chelsea medical and coaching staff working alongside him every day and the team-mates who never stopped offering encouragement, including fellow defender Wesley Fofana, who had been through similar experiences with injury in the past.

He said: ‘At home I had my friends and family checking up on me all the time. When I first did the injury and I was back home, every day I had someone new coming and seeing me and just spending time with me.

‘It gave me that motivation to work harder to be back on the pitch and make them proud again.

‘Wes has been really top with me – any advice, anything I need.

‘All these people have been there every step of the way with me. I know everyone thinks it’s my hard work, but I think in my way, it’s a lot down to them. They’ve done a lot for me, and I’ll only be here because of them. Big thank you to those guys.’

Just before making his return to the pitch for competitive action, Colwill’s excitement was clear, as he discussed the emotions he would be feeling when he walked back across the white line for the first time.

‘The moment I step back on the pitch with the squad is going to be a really good moment because I’ve been through a lot with them by my side and obviously, to be back with them, it will be the best moment ever.’

Of course, that return did arrive before the end of the season, coming off the bench at Stamford Bridge against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, and we followed him before and after that comeback.

You can see his reaction and emotions around that game in the full documentary, along with the detailed regular catch-ups with Colwill throughout 2025/26.

That will be just one of many exclusive in-depth looks behind the scenes at Chelsea available on the new streaming platform, alongside live football. You can find out more about all the content coming to CFC+ and how to subscribe here.