Injuries are inevitable in football. But while the physical consequences are widely discussed in gossip columns and on social media, hearing about the mental health impact time away from the game can have on players is less common.
A player who knows this better than most is Ben Chilwell, who has been plagued with injuries over the past two seasons. His latest, a torn hamstring, saw the England defender miss out on a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Last week, before appearing for the national team for the first time since recovering, he opened up about how missing the tournament impacted him and the mental health support he received to get through it.
‘I've been talking to someone for a few years now,’ he said before England's Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy last week. ‘I think the stigma around it is silly really, especially with men in football in particular.
‘The way it has helped me, it can definitely help everyone. The stigma around it is something that needs to go.’
Discussing the impact that injuries have had on his mental health, Chilwell said: ‘Of course, mentally, it is very challenging. All footballers go through periods of their career when things are mentally challenging and you have to be resilient, be strong and try and come through it and come out the other side stronger.
‘I'm trying to spin it into a positive situation, so I can better myself mentally and physically, so when I come back playing I'm ready to help Chelsea and England as well.’
Chilwell wasn’t alone in missing out on the World Cup. He added that having fellow Chelsea defender Reece James in the same position helped.
‘In a weird way it was nice we had each other during that time because it was someone you could share the pain of missing a World Cup with,’ he said. ‘We helped each other a lot through that experience.’
Luke Chamberlain is the ecommerce editor for Men’s Health UK where he compiles expert-led buying guides and in-depth product reviews across gym wear, fitness tech, supplements, and grooming. Responsible for testing everything from the latest gym headphones to the best manscaping tools, Luke also enlists the help of leading health and wellness experts to help readers make informed choices when shopping online – whether it's to debunk the latest viral hair growth trend or to get the lowdown on a new type of recovery tech. He also covers major sales events for Men’s Health, such as Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day, scouting and verifying hundreds of discounts in order to recommend only the most genuine deals on offer. A magazine journalism graduate from the University of Sheffield in 2018, Luke has also worked as assistant editor for Outdoor Swimmer magazine and as an ecommerce writer for The Recommended. When he’s not testing the latest health and fitness products, he’s busy plotting routes for his next trail run or gravel ride out of London. Follow Luke on Instagram at @lukeochamb
