Former Barcelona and French national team defender Jeremy Mathieu has revealed that he suffered from depression for four years after his football career was forced to end. In an interview with French magazine “So Foot” he spoke about the difficult period that began after a serious injury that ended his professional career in 2020.
“Things got complicated after my injury at Sporting. I ended my career in 2020 after tearing cruciate ligaments. It all ended suddenly“, shared Mathieu. According to him, at the age of 36, he found himself injured and unable to lead a normal life, without having time to prepare for what awaited him after football.
“I fell into depression. There's no point in hiding it“, admitted the former defender. He explained that for four years he had been experiencing what had happened, feeling completely lost and not knowing how to move forward. Despite the difficulties, however, he did not dare to seek help from another person.
Mathieu describes his daily life during this period as a closed circle. He spent almost all his time at home, sitting on the sofa in front of the TV and his phone. He rarely went out and for short periods, and even football, which had been the center of his life for many years, gradually lost its appeal.
“I stayed at home all day. Sometimes I went out, but never for long. I just sat on the couch in front of the TV with my phone in my hand. I had lost interest even in football. I would watch half-time and, if the score was tied, I would change the channel,” he said.
The former footballer also remembers the feeling of not being able to get out of this state: he would get up from the couch, walk around his house and sigh, not knowing what to do.
At the end of his story, Mathieu emphasizes that financial well-being cannot replace human relationships. “Money means nothing,” he says, emphasizing people and their role in a person’s life.
Mathieu has five caps for the French national team and played for clubs such as Valencia, Barcelona and Sporting Lisbon. His story shows how difficult it can be to adjust to life after sports, especially when the end of a career comes suddenly and without the opportunity to prepare.