Hoffenheim --
All Germany currently has only one topic: the suicide of the popular goalkeeper Robert Enke († 32). Hardly anyone knew about the seriousness of his illness.
Often depressed trying to keep her true spiritual life for themselves. The fear that the public learns of her illness, is especially for soccer players who are always in the "Spotlight", much too large.
These football players say: Yes, I was depressed!
"
back
Next »
Photo: Reuters
For years, goalkeeper Robert Enke was depressed. Before friends, teammates and the public in general, he always kept his illness secret, could be psychiatric treatment. Out of fear that everything could come out of football and he - refused anything that amused him and what he could - to lose, he is strictly against an inpatient hospital stay. In the end, he saw no other way out than on 10 November 2009 to take my life and can be run over by a train on.
Photo: ddp
The latest confession: The defender Josip Simunic of Bundesliga soccer team 1899 Hoffenheim has had to fight in his professional career with depression. "I wanted to quit football. I was very depressed and physically exhausted. In part, I slept for seven days at a stretch for a minute, "said the Croatian national team in the" Sport Bild "about his time at Hamburger SV and Hertha BSC. His former mental coach Gerd Driehorst told the magazine: "He had every day, fear of failure and self-doubt."
Photo: Getty
Michael Stern head came in 1991 as a great talent from Karlsruhe to the FCB, could not prevail. He previously played with Enke in Moenchengladbach. "After 13, 14 months, Bavaria that was for me also a phase where I absolutely fell in a hole, put a-half year psychotropic drugs have," said Stern head, now marketing director at Kickers Offenbach.
Photo: Star TV
A former player for FC Bayern Sebastian Deisler was regarded as hope of German football, but lost already at its second station Hertha BSC Berlin, the joy of play. "I've become unhappy when I tried to make others happy. I felt like a sad clown, "said Deisler. 2007, the midfielder took the consequences of numerous injuries and illnesses and finished with only 27 years of his career - an exemption for the sensitive ball artist.
Photo: Reuters
The "Titan", the former international goalkeeper Oliver Kahn was struggling with the consequences of the pressure in professional sports. "I feel nothing more than tension and anxiety. Tormenting fear. [...] No power, no power. My heart starts to race, my pulse drumming like mad. This is hell. (...) I can not go, "he wrote about his mental state in the fall of 1999. Kahn suffered from burnout.
Photo: www.adriano-leite-ribeiro.com
The suicide of Robert Enke has also called the Brazilian star striker Adriano Leite Ribeiro memories of his depression. "I've seen that too. I also had problems with alcohol. Drinking for me was an escape, when I could not sleep. It was a way to escape from responsibility, "said the 27-year-old, who had suffered 2004 after the death of his father's depression. He had originally disbanded in April 2010 his current contract at Inter because of personal problems. He would a break from football.
After the suicide Enkes venture with more and more athletes in the public and confess: "Yes, I also had a depression."
The most recent case: The defender Josip Simunic of 1899 Hoffenheim. He confesses: "I was physically exhausted."
Has the death of Robert Enke, perhaps something good? Is now finally broken the taboo depression? Depression after an Emnid poll of 1,000 inhabitants in Germany, not only in football but in the whole society is a taboo topic.
89 percent of Germans believe that mental illness is concerned by the environment are often not taken seriously. Among the younger respondents and 29 years represented 96 percent, even this view.
On the question of whether suicide is legitimate, 51 percent answered yes. 44 percent find morally reprehensible.
EXPRESS shows you which professional footballers have suffered from depression. Simply click through the text box.
