Bellerin calls for more mental health support in football after his own issues
Hector Bellerin believes more must be done to tackle mental health issues in football, after overcoming his own struggles during his time at Arsenal.
The Spaniard missed the majority of 2019 after tearing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament before suffering a series of hamstring problems. That proved to be a challenging time for Bellerin, who struggled with his mental health and started going out drinking alcohol as a result.
Bellerin got himself back fit and helped the Gunners win the FA Cup in August 2020, starting the final against Chelsea at Wembley. He left the Gunners on loan in January 2022, before completing a permanent switch to Barcelona in the following summer, ending his 11-year stint in north London.
Now at Real Betis for a second time, Bellerin is enjoying his football again, but he is aware that there are plenty of fellow pros who are not having the greatest time. A study from the PFA showed that every year, one in 10 players will experience depression or anxiety and the number of current and former players coming forward to seek help is growing.
Speaking to Mirror Football, Bellerin has now passionately sent a message to authorities, claiming that more needs to be done to tackle mental health problems in the game. "For me, we are over the time of raising awareness," the Spain international said. "It's about time to do something.
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"Here in Spain, we’ve had an old team-mate of mine, Victor Camarasa, who is playing in the second division, take time away from the game because of his mental health. It’s set a precedent in Spain, it’s happening in basketball, gymnastics and I think the life we live is very difficult.
"People excuse it with the money we make… We travel a lot, we play a lot, we get battered every game, I come home with knocks in my legs, I’ve had surgery on my legs, I've had concussions, I have had everything."
Former Arsenal right-back Hector BellerinWhilst it's true that most top-flight footballers are financially sound and earn more than the average adult, Bellerin insists that doesn't mean players are immune.
He added: "People say: 'Yeah you earn a lot of money'. But that doesn’t mean that’s hard, no? Family life is difficult as a footballer, the pressure is difficult as a footballer, no one wants to talk about this because we earn a lot of money. They think that it’s an excuse for us to be treated like anything but humans sometimes. I’m always going to be the one being on the side of the human," Bellerin added.
"From a very young age we have experienced this, so when we get to a certain age it’s going to be hard for us to cope, it’s normal. Every year there are more games, more competitions, more pressure, players are better and there’s more work we need to do and less time for us to take care of ourselves, our actions, our families, our social lives, or to even have a hobby. What is a hobby for a footballer? That is almost impossible."
Hector Bellerin returned to Real Betis last summer (Getty Images)He continued: "Mental health is something that is important and it starts by treating us as humans, no matter how much we make. It's time to bring these conversations into the dressing room and to make it something clubs are obliged to have, such as psychologists, hours to work with our mental health and that will help our football.
"Every footballer knows how much your mind and your head is for your performance, so we should try and create an atmosphere because the pressure is part of mental health for us footballers."
Bellerin, who made 239 appearances for Arsenal, could next feature for Betis when they face Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa Conference League. Betis currently sit sixth in La Liga, eight points behind fifth-place Athletic Bilbao. Bellerin has started in each of their last four matches, including last Friday's win at Cadiz.
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