The legendary player for France and Arsenal, Thierry Henry, has said that he battled depression throughout his exceptional playing career.
The 46-year-old, who leads Arsenal in goals scored all time and helped his country win the World Cup with France, said in an interview with the Diary of a CEO podcast that the coronavirus epidemic made him more aware of his mental health issues, shedding tears “almost every day.”
Henry has connected it to his history and his need to win his father over after he often criticized his performances as a young athlete.
“Throughout my career, and since I was born, I must have been in depression,” said Henry.
Was I aware of it? No. Have I taken any action on it? No. However, I adjusted to a certain method. I may not be walking straight, but at least I’m moving. You must step forward with one foot, then another, and continue to walk. I’ve been told that since I was a little child.
“If I had never stopped walking, I might have realized.” However, I quit walking during COVID-19. I was unable to. Then you begin to understand.”
When the pandemic struck, Henry was leading the Canadian team Montral Impact, which put him far from his family and on the other side of the globe.
“I was in isolation in Montreal, and not being able to see my kids for a year was tough,” he said.
“I was crying by myself. I’m not sure why, but it’s possible they were there for a very long period.
In a technical sense, it was the younger version of myself. (Weeping for) what he was denied, acceptance.”
Henry, who is now the under-21 team’s coach for France, said that his father’s goal for him to be “an amazing football player” was there from the time he held his kid.
“It used to constantly say, ‘you didn’t do that well,’ to small boys. That’s what’s going to stick around, so it makes sense when you hear that most of the time,” Henry added.
“(It) did to a degree help the athlete….(it) didn’t help so much the human being” .