Professional Football Players More Vulnerable to Mental Health Issues: Just The Way It Is or Time For Change?
“We are athletes, not machines. Our bodies and our minds have natural limits. When we push too hard or rest too little, we break” – Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City player.
When initially thinking about a career as a professional football player, the public often has a distorted image of what life is like for players. Typically a glorified image, what the public fails to recognize is the impact of this lifestyle on high-level players’ mental health. Mental health issues can affect any segment of the population, however, the lifestyles of elite athletes put them in a more vulnerable position. As De Bruyne stated, footballers have their mental and physical breaking points, too.
A common model that illustrates how physical and mental health issues may arise is the Biopsychosocial Model. This model proposes that biological, psychological, and social factors influence vulnerability, which, coupled with life events, can lead to long-lasting distress, and finally physical and mental health problems. In the realm of social factors, professional football players often deal with an array of sport-specific stressors that may increase their vulnerability to health issues. Athletes may be confronted with leadership and personal issues, logistical and environmental issues, cultural and team issues, and performance issues. And many athletes are oftentimes pushed past their limits when it comes to these problems.
For example, one major stressor for players is the pure volume of games. In the 2022 season, Mohamed Salah, playing for Liverpool, played 70 matches of an average of 86 minutes each and played over half of these matches with less than five days of rest in between (which is considered “back-to-back” by FIFPRO, the International Federation of Professional Footballers). This is not an abnormal match load for players. However, per FIFPRO’s 2022 report, high-performance coaches suggest a maximum of 55 matches per season, and 87% of players wish for fewer back-to-back matches. The extreme load of matches players have currently keeps them under constant training and mental pressure which has a negative impact on their mental health. Additionally, many clubs travel internationally to get to matches. This is often an overlooked stressor, although it adds to the fatigue and demands of the profession and takes a toll on the body and the mind.
Saliou Ciss, a player for Senegal, commented on these stressors and the suffering mental health of players, asserting that “a competition model which values the players as assets but denies them proper rest and recovery has locked us onto a path that is unsustainable and unaccountable.”
How do you think football clubs should address this issue? Do players such as De Bruyne and Ciss have valid points to make or is this just “part of the job”?
References:
Ellis, Tim. “Cricket Still Pushes Mental Health of Its Players to the Limit.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 Jan. 2024,
www.forbes.com/sites/timellis/2024/01/26/cricket-still-pushes-mental-health-of-its-players-to-their-limits/?sh=2ee2e57d4b5f. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024.
Gouttebarge, V., Backx, F. J., Aoki, H., & Kerkhoffs, G. M. (2015). Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders in Professional Football (Soccer) Across Five
European Countries. Journal of sports science & medicine, 14(4), 811–818.
Kevin De Bruyne's insights highlight an extremely critical aspect of professional sports rarely acknowledged by the public, the mental and physical toll on athletes. The model they reference underscores the massive pressures footballers face, not just physically but also psychologically and socially. The current demanding schedule, without enough rest pushes players to their limits, exacerbating mental health vulnerabilities. Football clubs and governing bodies must take these concerns seriously, advocating for a more sustainable approach to scheduling as well as rest and overall player welfare. Their voices are an extremely important reminder that these are people too and they go through things just like the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteI think you phased this very well. When players come out and advocate for themselves and fellow players, it is a necessary reminder to all viewers and fans that the players we see in stadiums or on the screen are human too. You mentioned that clubs and governing bodies must take these concerns seriously, are there specific ways in which you think they should do that, such as making public statements, implementing mental health services, or something else?
DeleteThis is certainly a major problem, and while it may be 'part of the job', there are a lot of things the governing bodies can do to fix the system in place today. The match schedules, super small rest periods, and the constant mental and physical demands placed on players are legitimate concerns. Football clubs and governing bodies should be prioritizing the well-being of players by reevaluating competition structures, ensuring adequate rest between matches, and providing real support for mental health. I think it starts by really acknowledging the human limits of all these athletes and understanding that there is more reason to focus on the player than having back to back to back league games, to league cup games, to champions league games. The player needs to start coming first across a ton of leagues, not just football.
ReplyDeleteI really like the sentiment you brought up of the player needing to start coming first. I think a lot of people see players as just part of the team and part of the sport, but separating them from that is really important in fostering an environment in which players can thrive. This not only helps individual players, but the sport as a whole as well.
DeleteFootball clubs should address the issue of mental health in players by prioritizing comprehensive well-being programs. This involves implementing strategies to manage the stressors associated with the demanding schedules and pressures of professional football. Creating a supportive environment that encourages open communication about mental health is crucial. Offering mental health resources, including counseling and education, can contribute to the overall well-being of players. Players like De Bruyne and Ciss have valid points, emphasizing the need for a balance between the demands of the profession and the mental well-being of athletes.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. I think it is of the utmost importance to implement programs that help players manage sport-specific stressors and approach mental health concerns in an open manner. If football clubs begin to incorporate more resources and open communication, players may feel more able to express their concerns and get the help they need or, even better, not have get to the point where they feel no choice but to come forward because it's too much.
DeleteI don't think it comes down to the clubs doing stuff for this but more reminding the fans that these athletes are humans too. In my opinion, I feel like clubs can try to help players out by providing services if needed to their players if there is something that they are going through but I think there is only so much they can do. One solution could be having check ups with players with doctors and therapists to make sure they are in the right mind set to keep performing. In all, I feel like part of it comes with the game as participating in some of these situations provide a lot of stress and nerves just from the importance of them.
ReplyDeleteI think you raise valid points that there is only so much clubs can do and that part of what players face is a reality of the game they play. However, do you think that shifts in fan behavior and attitudes could really be enough to make the necessary changes to help players' mental health? There is certainly something to be said about clubs only being able to do so much, but I wonder if there's a bit more of a balance that could be more beneficial?
DeleteI agree with you, as I think that part of the reason that professional athletes feel so much pressure is that we often forget that they are still human. Because they are constantly in the public eye and their games and lives are closely followed by fans, I think athletes sometimes get treated more as commodities than people, and as a result, their mental health gets overlooked. For example, as the authors talked about in this post, one significant stressor for athletes is the volume of games they are scheduled to play. I think part of the reason it is so acceptable for them to play at this volume is that their coaches, clubs, stadiums and football academics as a whole profit more when they play more, and as a result, their needs are often overlooked and they are pushed to a physical and mental breaking point.
DeleteWhat you said about players being treated as commodities really resonated with me. This is a great way to put it, as it underscores the value of player performance instead of player health. It is interesting to consider how the motive for profit can influence how clubs treat their players. Understanding this can then help us figure out a way to strike more of balance between working toward wins, efficiency, and skills of the team with maintaining player health and wellbeing.
DeleteIn this case I actually think that De Bruyne and Ciss certainly do have valid points but I also believe it is part of the job. Mental health issues with athletes should be monitored on a more personal level with their respective football clubs. Athletes have to know that stress and mental health problems are going to happen inevitably and I think the only solution is increasing the support in whatever areas that they need. Each football club should be making it a priority to provide their players with whatever they need whether that is therapy or even some sort of mental health class. Anything that can be done to help the athletes should be done by the football clubs.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up good points here, both sides of the issue have some truth to them: some of the stress and problems that may cause footballers to be more vulnerable to mental health issues are inevitably part of the job, yet there is also something to be said for clubs having the responsibility to work towards providing more support and resources for players. This makes it tricky and complicates finding an answer to what clubs can and should do. However, at the moment, it seems like there is plenty more that could be implemented, and like you said, it’s important that clubs prioritize the health of its players, so they have to start something soon.
DeleteThis is a big problem in sports. I'm sure it is amazing being a professional athlete, but unfortunately there are unnecessary consequences. Sometimes fans don't realize about the athletes mental health and the professional clubs also aren't doing much about it. There have been many cases where athletes have had hate from fans and make terrible remarks. It shouldn't be "a part of the job", clubs should take this matter seriously.
ReplyDeleteSaliou Ciss's perspective sheds light on the inherent contradictions in a competition model that values players as assets while neglecting their fundamental need for proper rest and recovery. His assertion that the current trajectory is "unsustainable and unaccountable" reflects the growing sentiment among players regarding the need for a more balanced and player-centric approach.
ReplyDeleteEnglish Premier League players face immense stress due to the demanding nature of the league's schedule, intense competition, and constant scrutiny from fans and media. Additionally, the high stakes involved in every match amplify pressure, impacting players' mental and physical well-being, highlighting the need for better support systems. The exposure to social media also amplifies the stress that an EPL player endures. This is one of the most negative aspects of sports in my opinion.
ReplyDelete-TylerB