Former Chelsea striker, Alvaro Morata opens up on battle with 'depression' and suffering from 'panic attacks'
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid striker Álvaro Morata has spoken candidly about his struggles with depression in recent years. After captaining Spain to victory at Euro 2024 with a dramatic 2-1 win over England in the final, Morata recently joined AC Milan during the summer transfer window.
Despite his success on the field, Morata revealed that just months before the tournament, he was grappling with severe mental health issues that made him question his future in football. In an interview with El Partidazo, he shared, "During tough times, when dealing with depression and panic attacks, it doesn’t matter what your job is. You end up fighting a battle within yourself day and night. Leaving Spain was the best decision; I couldn’t handle it anymore."
Morata, who transferred from Atlético Madrid to AC Milan, has made a decent start at his new club, scoring two goals in six games across various competitions. Reflecting on his time in Spain, he admitted, "I went through a dark period. I honestly thought I wouldn’t be able to play football again. But thanks to support from many people—Simeone, Koke, Miguel Ángel Gil, my psychiatrist, and my coach—I managed to get through."
He also opened up about how his mental struggles affected him physically, saying, "At one point, I couldn’t even tie my boots without feeling my throat closing up and my vision blurring. Three months before the Euros, I didn’t know if I could play another game. It’s a complicated and delicate situation when the thing you love the most turns into something you dread."
Morata also spoke about the impact of public criticism, explaining how it even affected his time with his children. "People would make comments in front of my kids, and it got to the point where I felt ashamed to be with them. I became an easy target, a joke to make someone else laugh," he reflected.
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