Former Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has opened up about his struggles with depression in recent years.
The former Real Madrid forward joined AC Milan this summer after helping Spain win Euro 2024. Morata captained the team to a dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the final, securing the trophy.
Despite this triumph, Morata revealed that just months before the tournament, his mental health challenges made him question whether he could continue his football career.
In an interview with El Partidazo, Morata explained, “When you’re facing really tough times with depression and pan!c att*cks, your career or life situation doesn’t matter. It feels like you’re battling another person inside you every day and night. Leaving Spain was the best decision for me; I just couldn’t handle it anymore.”
Morata moved to AC Milan from Atletico Madrid and has started well, scoring two goals in six appearances across all competitions at San Siro.
Reflecting on his time in Spain, he said, “I went through a really dark period. I doubted if I could even put on my boots and step on the pitch again. But thanks to many people—Simeone, Koke, Miguel Ángel Gil last year, my psychiatrist, and my coach—we might seem a certain way on TV and social media, but that’s often far from the truth.
“You have to put on a certain image because it’s part of the job. I struggled a lot, and there were moments when I couldn’t even put on my boots. When I did, I’d rush home because my throat would tighten, and my vision would blur.”
He continued, “Three months before the Euros, I wasn’t sure if I could play again. I didn’t understand what was happening to me—it was incredibly difficult and confusing. Something I once loved deeply had turned into something I hated.”
Morata also opened up about how this affected his personal life, saying, “Whenever I went out with my kids, I’d face comments, sometimes made innocently, about past games. Eventually, I stopped taking them out for things like shopping—things a normal father would do.
“There were so many remarks made in front of them that I felt ashamed to be with my children. I became an easy target, a joke for people around me.”