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A jury has handed former All Whites goalkeeper Jake Gleeson US$20.4 million ($35.7m) in damages after he successfully brought a lawsuit against his ex-team doctor alleging medical malpractice, ESPN reports.

Gleeson, who has played on and off for the All Whites between 2011 and 2014, had his sporting career cut short in 2018 after stress fractures in his legs forced him to undergo a corrective surgery that went awry.

At the time, Gleeson had been playing in the United States’ Major League Soccer league for the Portland Timbers, and was under the supervision of their doctor, Dr Richard H. Edelson.

However, following the operation, Gleeson’s legs became infected. He’s since had to undergo 14 more surgeries that have left him with pain in his legs and unable to return to professional football.

The 34-year-old goalkeeper sued Edelson for medial malpractice, claiming the team doctor had not disinfected the plates inserted into his legs before the original surgery.

The Kiwi footballer initially launched legal action nearly five years ago, with the outcome of the three-week trial coalescing after Gleeson’s earlier settlement with a second doctor, Dr Jonathan Greenleaf, and the medical centre where he underwent surgery.

Jake Gleeson playing for the Portland Timbers in March 2018. Photo / Getty Images

Gleeson opened up to ESPN about his health scare-turned-legal battle, admitting it’s been “very difficult” to move on since.

“It’s been a very hard six and a half years. Some weeks are better than others, some days are better than others,” Gleeson told the sports channel.

Edelson’s defence team argued the equipment used during surgery was appropriately sterilised, and maintained the doctor was devoid of responsibility with regard to the resulting complications.

It remains unknown whether Edelson’s defence will lodge an appeal seeking to reduce the multimillion-dollar payout in damages to Gleeson.

“I think now, moving forward from this case, I just want to be an advocate [for the expectation] that when you’re put under anaesthesia [by] a doctor, you expect them to follow these guidelines and these policies,” the 34-year-old told ESPN.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re an MLS player, it doesn’t matter if you’re an NFL player, it doesn’t matter if you work a desk job. When you sign that consent form, you’re signing [with the understanding] that they’re going to do everything in their power to keep you safe. This doctor did not do that.”

“This has been something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy; not that I have too many of those,” he continued.

“It’s been a lot of physical pain. It’s been a lot of emotional pain, and those have come in different stages.

“You have surgeries, you feel better, then you have other surgeries. I would say that this has been something that’s ... consumed my life for the last six and a half years since that initial surgery.

“I left the training field one day, not knowing that would be the last time I would ever be a professional soccer player.”