The majority of footballers say their mental health is impacted by fear of injury, according to latest research from the Professional Footballers’ Association.
An anonymous survey of over 1,000 male and female professional footballers during the 2023-24 season found 68 per cent cited injury concerns as having a major impact on their mental wellbeing.
The PFA’s director of player well-being Dr Michael Bennett highlighted the lack of security offered by short-term contracts as to why injury can have such an impact on footballers’ mental health.
“Football is an incredibly insecure career for many of our members,” Dr Bennett said. “Players often find themselves employed in a string of what are ultimately very short, insecure contracts. For that reason, they can feel as if they have very little control over their futures.”
Other issues found to have an impact on players’ mental health included on-pitch performance (45 per cent), a fear of being dropped (41 per cent) and online abuse (28 per cent).
The data was released to mark World Mental Health Day, and comes during a period where the football calendar and the impact this is having on players is under increasing scrutiny.
In September, Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri suffered an anterior cruciate ligament…
