More and more athletes are encouraged to talk about the importance of
mental health
in their profession.
Now it was the turn of
Tottenham
's Brazilian forward , Richarlison, who in an interview with
ESPN UK
spoke about the hard time he had to live after the
World Cup in Qatar
.
The elimination of
Verdeamarela
at the hands of
Croatia
in the round of 16 left the thousands of Brazilians who dreamed of the sixth star disappointed, but the one who was most affected, apparently, was
Richarlison
.
In 2023 after a match against Arsenal with
ESPN Brazil
, the striker said: "Being left out of the World Cup
was worse than losing a family member
."
In the interview he gave this Wednesday he told details of what his life was like after elimination and commented that he was about to leave football.
"After the World Cup I was going to train and
I already wanted to return home
, to my room. I don't know what was going through my head. I even told my father that
I was going to quit football
."
"I had just played in a World Cup,
I was at my best
, but I was reaching my limit. I was depressed,
wanting to give up
. After the World Cup it seemed as if everything was falling apart," said the forward.
The player also explained that after the tournament something had happened with people around him, but he did not give any more details.
However, on date 2 of the Qualifiers for the
2026 World Cup,
Brazil beat Peru 1-0 and Richarlison came out in the 70th minute.
The player sat on the bench and
burst into tears
, then in an interview he said that it had been turbulent months, but that everything was in order at his house because the people who were after him for his money "
had already left
."
When he returned to the English team he did not have a good campaign,
Tottenham
was eliminated in the round of 16 of the
Champions League
with
Milan
after losing 1-0 in
Italy
and drawing 0-0 in
England
.
After that match the Brazilian dedicated a few words to coach
Antonio Conte
.
"I didn't understand Conte's decision to leave me out of the starting team. I was in a great moment, but
he put me on the bench again
. On Tuesday he tried me in the starting eleven and then on the bench, again.
I should have played
," He declared and added that his season was "
being shit
because I don't have minutes."
"I WAS ONLY LOOKING FOR NONSENSE ABOUT DEATH, I WANTED TO GIVE UP": #Richarlison and the severe depression he suffered after the World Cup in Qatar, in an interview with @espnbrasil.
pic.twitter.com/nBDffzW4GO
— ESPN Argentina (@ESPNArgentina) March 27, 2024
Now we understand a little more about the poor level that
Richarlison
had shown after the World Cup and this emotional discomfort was transferred to the playing field and was decisive in
Conte
's decision not to give him minutes.
In his first season with
Tottenham
he played
35 games
and scored only
three goals
.
In those dark moments he turned to his father: "I went to see my father, who was the one who had pursued the dream of playing football with me, and I told him '
Dad, I want to give up
'" and he added that even though he seemed strong Mentally in front of the cameras that was not like that.
Richarlison
said that after the elimination he was "
a victim of many attacks
and with this problem that he had at home it was very difficult."
Mineiro
said that "
the psychologist saved my life
because he was looking for bad things on the Internet, things about death".
Richarlison and the depression he experienced after the World Cup.
Photo: AP.
"Today I can say '
look for a psychologist because it's good to be able to open up and talk to someone
. My psychologist thanked me for bringing this issue to the world of football because
it saves lives
,' reflected the Brazilian.
"I had the prejudice that those who went to the psychologist were crazy, my family always believed that, but I discovered that it is wonderful,
it is the best thing that happened to me
in my life."
Today
Richarlison
lives a good present in the
London
institution, he has scored
11 goals
in
26 games
and his team is in fifth position with 53 points, just three points behind the last qualifier for the
Champions League
, Aston Villa del
Dibu Martínez
.