Reasons for leaving Spain
©IMAGO
Attacker Álvaro Morata suffered from depression and had panic attacks as captain of the Spanish national team before winning the European Championship in the summer. “Three months before the European Championships, I wasn’t sure whether I would even be able to play another game,” said the 31-year-old AC Milan professional in an interview with the Spanish radio station “Cope”.
When it comes to mental problems, it doesn’t matter what job you do. “Sometimes you hate the most what you love the most.” Because of the pressure to succeed and the criticism of his achievements, things got to the point where he couldn’t even lace up his boots, said Morata, who retired in August separated from his wife Alice. The Spaniard has four children with the Italian model, to whom he was married for seven years.
Milan newcomer Morata explains his escape from his Spanish homeland
The striker described his months-long problems as follows: “You have another person inside you that you have to fight against every day, every night.” He felt like his “throat was being constricted” and his vision was “blurry.” He revealed that the depression, criticism and unpleasant experiences on the street led him to leave his Spanish homeland and his club Atlético Madrid in the summer to return to Italy. “For me it was best to leave Spain. There was a moment when I couldn’t take it anymore.”
At some point he even felt “embarrassed” to go out on the street with his children. “Every time I went out there was some incident, sometimes without any malicious intent. People talking about something that had happened in previous games. Eventually my children didn’t even want to go shopping with me anymore.”
European champion Morata received help from Diego Simeone and Andrés Iniesta
A psychiatrist helped him and he was also treated with medication: “After all, this is an illness like any other.” At Atlético, coach Diego Simeone and some comrades helped him. And he also received support from professionals who had experienced similar problems, such as Andrés Iniesta and Bojan Krkic.
Morata, who also played for Real Madrid, Juventus and Chelsea FC, among others, admitted that winning the European Championship in Germany also contributed to the improvement. Since then he has received more respect in his homeland. He’s not telling everything to arouse pity, “but to help people in similar situations.”
The veteran moved from Atlético to Milan for 13 million euros. So far this season he has scored three goals in seven competitive games for his new club. Morata reached the highest market value of his career at the beginning of 2018 with 65 million euros; he is currently valued at 16 million euros. The Madrilenian has appeared 80 times (36 goals) for his country’s national team since his debut in November 2014. A total of 202 million euros were paid in transfer fees for Morata, which is only exceeded by four footballers.
It is difficult to prevent depression and psychological problems. It is also difficult to self-diagnose whether it is a temporary “depressed mood” or a depression that requires treatment. Telephone assistance is provided nationwide day and night by professional telephone counseling staff. Can be reached at the following numbers (toll-free): 0800 / 111 0 111 or 0800 / 111 0 222. In Austria it is the emergency number 142, in Switzerland it is 143.
