Ronald Araujo is a central defender with great qualities: speed, strength, good aerial play, leadership and that Uruguayan grit so characteristic of Uruguayan players; however, after making several mistakes at important moments, he hit rock bottom, to the point of stepping aside to allow himself to heal emotionally, an atypical case in soccer for a problem that is all too common in the world of high-performance sports.
The centre-back broke his silence and spoke honestly about one of the most difficult moments of his career: the prolonged anxiety that ended up turning into depression and led him to stop to take care of himself.
Ronald Araujo and a confession that goes beyond football
Football is not all about packed stadiums, fame, success and victories. In defeat, sometimes more is lost than three points and Ronald Araujo decided to show this other side. In an interview with Mundo Deportivo, the Barcelona defender confessed that he went through a long process of anxiety that, over time, led to depression.
I had been suffering from anxiety for a year and a half, which turned into depression
With that intimate declaration, the centre-back made it clear that his emotional problems began long before the sending-off he suffered against Chelsea, a match that marked a turning point in his personal and professional life.
Ronald Araujo and the moment he hit rock bottom
Araujo explained that that match was the breaking point. Not because of the expulsion itself, but because of the accumulation of situations that had been dragging on for a long time. For more than a year he tried to carry on, appealing to the strength he learned from his origins, but his body and mind were sending him clear signals.
I had not been feeling well for a long time. Not only on a sporting level, but also on a family and personal level. I was not feeling like myself
After the match, when the adrenaline wore off, everything hit him all at once. That’s when he understood that he needed to raise his hand and ask for help, something that is not always easy, even for an elite footballer.
The Barcelona defender decided to slow down and focus on his mental well-being. During that time he worked with professionals, received family support and also found strength in spirituality. For Araujo, the break was not a weakness, but a necessity.
“The time I stopped was for a reason. Today I feel like a totally different person,” he said.
The support of the club and his teammates was key in this process, as well as the support of the fans, who understood the human dimension behind the player.
Araujo’s return and a new perspective
After his return to the pitch, Araujo said he felt lighter and at peace. After the match against Albacete, he expressed satisfaction with both his performance and his physical, but above all emotional, feelings.
I’m more comfortable, happier. I can enjoy what I like to do, which is playing football. It’s not all about money, it’s not all about fame. There are feelings and you also suffer
Today, Ronald Araujo seems to have come back stronger than ever, and at an ideal time, to support Barcelona on their way to the championship in LaLiga and in the quest to continue climbing towards the final of the Champions League, while at the same time impressing Marcelo Bielsa to reach the 2026 World Cup in top form.
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