Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has praised the bravery of Richarlison for going public with his mental health struggles.
The Spurs striker has spoken candidly on his mental health struggles during an interview with ESPN Brazil and said he sought therapy to cope with his issues after Brazil’s exit from the 2022 World Cup.
“I’d just played in a World Cup, man, at my peak,” Richarlison said. “I was reaching my limit, you know? I don’t know, I’m not going to talk about killing myself, but I was in a depression there, and I wanted to give up.
“Even I, who seemed to be mentally strong. After the World Cup it seemed like it all fell apart.
“I think the therapist, like it or not, saved me, saved my life. I only thought rubbish. Even on Google, I only searched for rubbish, I only wanted to see rubbish about death.
“Before I went to training, I wanted to go home, I wanted to go back to my room because, I don’t know what was going through my head. I even went and told my dad I was going to give up.
“It’s kind of sad to talk like that, you know? What I went through after the World Cup, discovering things here at home from people who had lived with me for over seven years. It is crazy.
“To go to my father, who was the guy who chased my dream with me, and say, ‘Dad, I want to give up,’ is crazy.
“Today I can say, look for a psychologist, if you need a psychologist, look for one because it’s nice for you to open up like that, for you to be talking to the person.
“Today a (psychologist) came to thank me for taking this to the world of football, to the world, outside the pitch too, because it is very important and, whether we like it or not, it saves lives.”
Richarlison opens up about his depression after the 2022 World Cup and how therapy helped him ❤️ pic.twitter.com/YdAwSULrYp
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) March 27, 2024
Postecoglou has praised the courage Richarlison has shown in going public with his problems and hopes the striker’s story can benefit others struggling to deal with mental health issues.
“He has really benefitted from the support that does exist, not just for him but for others in the community. Because he has benefitted so directly, I think he’s taken on the responsibility of trying to share that around now,” Postecoglou said at his pre-match press conference ahead of Spurs’ clash with Luton.
“It always makes more of an impact when it is somebody who is high-profile or in a position where we think they shouldn’t have any problems or we see it as a sign of weakness when they’re looking for help and support.
“It’s a credit to him. He could have dealt with this privately, I think the public aspect of it is a brave decision for him, but more importantly it’s a great conduit to others to reach out and seek help when it’s required.
“There’s always a balance to these things. Whether it’s Richy or anyone else, we all have challenges and problems in our lives, there’s help that you can get out there and it shouldn’t hopefully get to the point where it’s so overwhelming that it takes over everything else you do.
“Credit to Richy, he’s sought help, he’s got help, the right help, and now he wants others to benefit from it.”
