“The psychologist saved my life”: the dramatic testimony of Richarlison, the declared enemy of Chile

Richarlison is an avowed enemy of Chile. Whenever he could, he directly ignored La Roja and made fun of her, taking advantage of her resonance on social networks. It is not for nothing that he became a figure of the Brazilian national team. His confrontations with the Golden Generation were spicy. With Arturo Vidal, for example, he made sparks fly on the pitch and in virtual spaces. “Clown,” even the king called him.

But today his version is different. The Tottenham striker admits he had a bad time. That after the World Cup he hit rock bottom and could no longer maintain his reputation as a tough guy. There, in fact, he had to resort to specialized help.

The attacker’s testimony is dramatic. “‘After the World Cup, I was going to train and I already wanted to go home, to my room. I don’t know what was going through my mind. I even told my father that I was going to quit football. I had just competed in a World Cup, I was at my best level, but I was reaching my limits. I was depressed, I wanted to give up. I who seemed mentally strong, after the World Cup, I had the impression that everything was falling apart ”, he admits in an interview with ESPN Brazil.

”I had just played in a World Cup, in my best moment. But I was reaching my limits, I’m not going to talk about suicide, but I fell into depression and I wanted to stop. Even me, who seemed to be mentally strong ”, he emphasizes to account for a state in which his resistance has reached the point of exhaustion.

The American player Mineiro, who made his country shine at Fluminense before making the leap to European football, recognizes that the professional support of the psychologist was essential in overcoming his problems. “It was the best discovery of my entire life. Whether I liked it or not, it saved my life. I was only thinking about stupid things, even on Google, I was only looking for stupid things, I only wanted to see stupid things about death,” he explains of the timely support he received, which allowed him to avoid serious consequences.

Before, yes, we had to overcome prejudices. Theirs and those of the people who make up their environment. “I thought it was absurd, that I was crazy. In my family, there are people who think that anyone who sees a psychologist is crazy. But I discovered it and found it wonderful. Today I can say that seek a psychologist if you need one, because it is very important. “Saving lives,” he says, already free from a traumatic experience.