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Alvaro Morata opens up on battling depression months before Euro 2024 win as Spain & AC Milan forward reveals retirement fears at his lowest
Spain and AC Milan forward Álvaro Morata has opened up about his battle with depression ahead of Euro 2024, revealing how close he came to prematurely ending his football career.
The 31-year-old striker, who has played for major clubs such as Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Juventus, and Chelsea, faced an intense period of mental health struggles earlier in 2024, which left him fearing that he might never play again.
Morata’s decision to join AC Milan marked the third time he left Spain for a new challenge abroad, but the emotional toll weighed heavily on him.
Despite his success on the field, including winning Euro 2024 with Spain, Morata’s mental health battle became a major obstacle in his life.
His candid revelation highlights the mental challenges professional athletes face and underscores the importance of mental health awareness, even for those who seem to have it all.
“I thought I wouldn’t be able to put my boots on and go out on the pitch again. I received a lot of help from people, like Diego Simeone, [Atletico captain] Koke and [president] Miguel Angel Gil, and my psychiatrist,” he said on El Partidazo de Cope.
“What you see on TV or social media often is not real and is just an image because it is your job, but often I could not do simple things like lacing up my boots and there were times I went home early because I could not speak and my vision became blurry.”
He added: “I didn’t know what was happening to me but it was very complicated and delicate. At that moment you realise that what you like most in the world is what you hate the most, it is complicated.”
Morata went on to score one goal and set up another as captain of La Roja, helping them win the European title to add to his two La Liga and Serie A titles, among other honors.