Heart Transplant Survivor Wins World Cup With England After Near-Death Illness

Martyn Jackson won the Transplant Football World Cup with England in September 2026, less than two years after undergoing a life-saving heart transplant following a severe bout of myocarditis, according to BBC Sport reporting.

The former Manchester United academy player walked off the pitch after Ramsbottom United’s victory over Cheadle Town in October 2024, unaware that a medical crisis was just days away. Within 48 hours of that fixture, Jackson fell ill during the night and checked into a hospital where doctors diagnosed him with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart typically triggered by an infection. His condition deteriorated rapidly, requiring a mechanical pump to keep him alive before he was placed on the super urgent transplant waiting list. On November 28, 2024, surgeons at Wythenshawe Hospital in Greater Manchester performed a successful donor heart operation.

Journey to the England Transplant Squad

Jackson spent his youth career at Manchester United before playing for Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End, and Burnley, later spending 13 years across the non-league pyramid in the ninth tier of English football. During his post-surgery recovery, his wife Lucy discovered the England Transplant FC team via social media and reached out to the coaching staff.

His wife did drop in the conversation that he used to play at Manchester United as a schoolboy. So that got our ears twitched instantly. You could tell from him being on the pitch, even though he was so fresh into his journey, that he knew the football game and he would be such an incredible asset to us. — Daley Cross, England team manager

Jackson joined the national transplant squad in January 2026, bringing high-level non-league experience to a roster composed entirely of organ recipients.

Lifting the World Cup Trophy

In September 2026, Jackson scored for England in a 5-1 victory against Spain during the final of the Transplant Football World Cup. Transplant football differs significantly from standard FIFA fixtures to accommodate players recovering from major surgery. Matches utilize a seven-a-side format with 20-minute halves, and physical contact is less aggressive than conventional non-league games.

Because of his heart transplant, Jackson carefully regulates his physical workload compared to teammates who received other organs like kidneys, which represent the most common UK transplant type. His match involvement typically consists of dynamic 10-minute bursts rather than full-match appearances.

Obviously, when you’ve had a transplant, you don’t think you’re ever going to play again. That’s what I thought anyway. I’ll be forever grateful to my donor and the family for what they’ve given me. They’ve given me the gift of life and the opportunity to live my life to the fullest. — Martyn Jackson via BBC Sport

England team manager Daley Cross noted that the squad aims to demonstrate to the wider transplant community that organ failure does not mean the end of an active life.