Tottenham Hotspur star Richarlison has discussed his mental health battles
Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison has revealed he contemplated driving into a wall while struggling with depression. The striker was profoundly impacted by the intense scrutiny following Brazil's elimination from the World Cup 2022.
On the surface, the World Cup proved a successful tournament for the 28-year-old, whose overhead kick against Serbia was the goal of the tournament. The Spurs star had been entrusted with spearheading the attack for the five-time world champions.
He scored three times overall but was unable to stop his nation from being knocked out by Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals. However, the setback severely affected his mental well-being, with Richarlison now opening up about how his mindset worsened.
"One day, while driving, I thought about crashing into a wall," Richarlison told France Football. "Today, when I think about it, I tell myself it's pointless."
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He added: "After the 2022 World Cup, I fell into a depression. Every possible misfortune befell me: the elimination, my agent's betrayal, family problems, physical setbacks... For a year and a half, I suffered blow after blow every single day."
Having completed his move to Spurs from Everton in the summer of 2022, the forward finished his debut campaign with merely one top-flight goal. However, through sessions with a psychologist, Richarlison managed to regain a more optimistic outlook.
"It was the first time I had to deal with so many problems," he said. "In all that chaos, I met an honest lawyer who put my affairs and assets in order. I worked with a psychologist and, most importantly, I met my wife."
With World Cup 2026 on the horizon, the former Everton star intends to follow Manchester United midfielder Casemiro's guidance and avoid social media should he be selected in Carlo Ancelotti's squad. This isn't the first occasion that Richarlison has opened up about his battles with depression.
During a candid conversation with ESPN Brasil in March 2024, the Spurs forward admitted: "I was reaching my limit, you know? I don't know, I'm not going to talk about killing myself, but I was in a depression there, and I wanted to give up."
He continued: "Today I can say, look for a psychologist, if you need a psychologist, look for one because it's nice for you to open up like that, for you to be talking to the person.
"Today a (psychologist) came to thank me for taking this to the world of football, to the world, outside the pitch too, because it is very important and, whether we like it or not, it saves lives.
"I had this prejudice before, I thought it was nonsense, I thought I was crazy. In my family, there are people who think that anyone who goes to a psychologist thinks they are crazy, they think they are insane. But I discovered this and thought it was wonderful. The best thing, really the best discovery I've ever had in my life."
Richarlison has netted 10 goals in 38 outings for Spurs this season. He most recently featured for Brazil in October 2025.