Tottenham Hotspur star Richarlison talks about his mental health (Image: High Quality Sports Images, Getty Images)
Tottenham Hotspur star Richarlison has revealed he considered crashing his car into a wall while battling depression. The forward was heavily pressured after Brazil’s exit from the 2022 World Cup.
On the surface, the World Cup looked like a successful tournament for the 28-year-old, who scored the tournament’s winning goal with a bicycle kick against Serbia. The Spurs forward was tasked with leading the attack for the five-time World Cup winners. He scored a total of three goals, but was unable to prevent his country’s elimination in the quarterfinals, a penalty shootout loss to Croatia. The disappointment had a serious impact on his mental health, and Richarlison spoke openly about how his thinking sent him into a vicious cycle.
“One day I was driving and thought I might hit a wall,” Richarlison told France Football. “Today, when I think about it, I tell myself it makes no sense.”
He added: “After the 2022 World Cup, I fell into depression. All kinds of misfortunes befell me: defeat, betrayal by my agent, family problems, physical setbacks. For a year and a half, I was hit one blow after another every day.”
Express sports on FB! Get all the best sports news and more on our Facebook page
The striker, who joined Spurs from Everton in the summer of 2022, finished his league debut with just one goal. However, through sessions with a psychologist, Richarlison regained a more positive perspective.
“It was the first time I had to deal with so many problems,” he explained. “In the midst of all that chaos, I found an honest lawyer, got my family and assets in order, worked with a psychologist, and most importantly, met my wife.”
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, the former Everton favorite will follow Manchester United midfielder Casemiro’s advice and avoid social media if he is able to join Carlo Ancelotti’s side. But this isn’t the first time Richarlison has shared a glimpse of his struggle with depression.
Richarlison struggled after Brazil’s exit from the 2022 World Cup (Image: Marvin Ibo Guengoer – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
In an emotional interview with ESPN Brazil in March 2024, the Spurs striker said: “I was at my breaking point, right? I don’t know, I’m not going to talk about suicide, but I was depressed there and wanted to give up.”
“All I can say today is find a psychologist. If you need a psychologist, find a psychologist. Because it’s good to be able to open up and talk to that person.”
“He (psychologists) came today to thank us for bringing this into the world of football, into the world and off the pitch, because this is so important and whether we like it or not, it saves lives.”
“I used to have this prejudice. I thought it was nonsense, I thought I was crazy. There are people in my family who think that if you go to a psychologist, people think you’re crazy and people think you’re crazy. But I discovered this and I thought it was great. It was the best thing that ever happened to me, the best discovery ever.”
Richarlison has scored 10 goals in 38 appearances for Spurs this season. At international level, he last played for Brazil in October 2025.
