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West Ham’s highest Premier League goalscorer has lashed out at the Hammers after a sour end to his playing days in East London.
Michail Antonio revealed to Capital XTRA that he “wanted West Ham to get relegated” in the aftermath of his release from the Hammers.
That sequence of events occurred after Antonio sustained injuries in a car crash in December 2024 - a horror event that eventually led to his release from West Ham.
Michail Antonio: 'You know what, I want the club to get relegated'
The crash, which Antonio described as near-fatal, led to a prolonged period of rehabilitation for the former Hammers man, who tops their goalscoring charts.
His consistent availability and strike tally was partially responsible for the debt he felt West Ham owed him in the aftermath of the crash - Antonio was released from the club in June 2025 upon the expiration of his contract.
Speaking to Capital XTRA Breakfast with Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie, the 36-year-old confessed that he harboured resentment for his former club, resulting in him hoping that West Ham would get relegated from the Premier League, which they did this season.
“I played basically every week for 10 years straight… most Premier League goals for West Ham. It wasn’t like I was a squad player,” prefaced Antonio.
“Then I get in a car crash, [so] I’m thinking that they look after me, because they said they probably will give me something. Then at the end of the season, they didn't.
“I was like, the only way for the owners to feel my pain is by them getting relegated. So, I was like, ‘You know what, I want the club to get relegated,’” he continued.
The 36-year-old revealed that he turned to the Bible and therapy in hopes of curing his resentment and the grudges he held against the club’s owners, which worked.
Antonio then confessed that at the time of West Ham’s relegation, he had moved past his earlier feelings and supported the East London club through their battle with Tottenham Hotspur, which the Hammers eventually lost.
The former West Ham man said: “When I released [those feelings], and then I saw that they were struggling, and thinking about them getting relegated, I was like, ‘I actually don't want that to happen.’
“Because at the end of the day, I've got my boys there. I cared for the fans and stuff like that. So, I kind of was like, ‘Oh, come on, boys!’’ he continued.
Listen to Capital XTRA Breakfast with Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie weekdays from 06:30-10:00 across the UK and on YouTube
