Luis Suárez on depression: Sporting striker shares tough times | OneFootball

Luis Suárez revealed he had been dealing with depression before signing with Sporting. The Colombian forward suffered an injury that left him very down, altering his professional and personal habits. However, the 'number 97' managed to overcome the difficult period.

“I went through a depression from which I gradually emerged, with work and psychologists. I couldn't even get out of bed. I had an injury, but without it, I wouldn't have hit rock bottom. It served to strengthen my mental capacity. When I was injured, I felt like I could have lost everything... If I hadn't lived through those difficult moments, I wouldn't be the player I am today,” he said to El Espectador.

In a good moment at Sporting, Suárez acknowledges the effort: "Today I enjoy the game more, I'm making the most of it. I never put myself on a pedestal because I didn't know where I could reach. I came from the bottom and sometimes it feels like I'm living in a movie. When you start, you don't know where you'll get to, or how. What you can do is work.”

“I wanted to change everything. I let my hair grow a bit, changed the name on my jersey. These are stages you close and open others,” Suárez explained, pointing out the changes he made after a fibula fracture. “Today I understand that football is not just about running or scoring goals, but also enjoying what you do,” stated the forward from Sporting.

“I am at a different point of maturity. Maybe before I wasn't at the perfect point, but now I've found the fullness of confidence, knowing myself better physically and understanding what my strengths are,” assured Suárez, before expressing tremendous happiness for representing Colombia: "I made a promise to my grandfather that I would play with the national team jersey. This means being with my idols. I grew up watching them qualify for World Cups. Now I have a different mindset.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.