On June 23, according to Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus defender Danilo shared a heartfelt letter on The Players’Tribune’s website, detailing his experience during his time at Real Madrid.
“In my first season at Real Madrid, I lost myself. I didn’t feel like a professional footballer; I couldn’t do anything right. I couldn’t even complete a five-meter pass. After games, I would stand frozen in the locker room, too scared to move…”
“In a La Liga match against Alavés, I made a mistake that allowed Theo to intercept and set up a goal. In Madrid, such errors were unacceptable. That night, I couldn’t sleep and wrote in my diary: Maybe it’s time for me to retire. I was only 24 years old.”
“After the pain, I started seeking help from a psychologist, who saved me. He encouraged me to view matches through the eyes of a boy, when you first start playing football and don’t overthink things, right? Don’t take mistakes so seriously; you’re just playing. From then on, I stopped seeing myself as Danilo, the €31 million full-back, and instead enjoyed the game more freely.”
“Later, when I wore the captain’s armband for Juventus, I felt incredibly honored; when I captained the Brazilian national team, it was an immense privilege. In those moments, I told myself: ‘No matter what happens in the next 90 minutes or throughout my career, I can die happy now.'”
Danilo: Wanted to Retire at 24, Struggled with Depression at Real Madrid. Author：Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced：https://www.sportsuefa.com/football-world/danilo-wanted-to-retire-at-24-struggled-with-depression-at-real-madrid.html
