11 January 2024

• Covid-19 escalated his depression as he couldn't see his family for a year.

• He spoke on the Diary of a CEO podcast.

Football legend Thierry Henry has opened up on his battle with depression throughout his football career.

Speaking on the Diary of a CEO podcast, Henry said he never spoke out because people expected him to be 'perfect'

"Throughout my career and since I was born, I must have been in depression.

Did I know it? No. Did I do something about it? No. But I adapted to a certain way. That doesn't mean I'm walking straight but I'm walking. You've got to put one foot [forward] and another one and walk. That's what I've been told since I'm young.

I never stopped walking, then maybe I would have realized. [But during] Covid — I stopped walking. I couldn't. Then you start to realise."

During the Covid-19 period his depression hit him like a hard brick.

He was on the Belgium coaching staff and managed Monaco before taking charge at Montreal Impact in late 2019 and he said:

"Then Covid happened. I was in isolation in Montreal and not being able to see my kids for a year was tough."

I was crying almost every day for no reason",

Adding:

"Tears were coming alone. Why I don't know but maybe they were there for a very long time.

Technically, it wasn't me, it was the young me. [Crying for] everything he didn't get, approval."

Regarding his upbringing, Henry said his father was

"very particular at times on how I was as a player. As a little boy it was always 'you didn't do that well'. So obviously when you hear that more often than not, that's what's going to stay."