Are we putting too much pressure on our soccer stars?

Sebastian Deisler had to retire from football because of depression at the age of 27. When he was supposed to have been at the peak of his powers, he was battling the demons of depression and after 15 injuries and five operations he decided enough was enough. In January 2007, the German midfielder decided to call it a day much to Bayern Munich’s frustration and the whole of Germany. He had suffered yet another ruptured knee ligament of the kind which limited his Bayern spell to just 62 league appearances in four and a half years and 36 caps for Germany.

He was blessed with speed, dribbling ability and an eye for a cross. He was once widely seen as being the next great German player but fitness and psychological problems meant he was unable to fulfil his early promise. Deisler blamed the pressure that comes with today’s professional game and the clubs for not taking proper care of their players. He was sidelined for five months during the 2003-2004 season while being treated for depression. “Dieter Hoeness (the general manager at Hertha BSC) just watched as I was being run out of town. What I learned at the hospital is that I’m a normal case, the expectations would have broken everyone else, too. You don’t know what it’s like to be loved and then, overnight, to be hated.”

Robert Enke was not so lucky. A remembrance was held two days ago — he committed suicide a year ago on November 10. He was also battling the demons of depression and just could not take it any more. Enke was 32 years old, at the peak of his career with Bundesliga side Hannover 96 and virtually a certainty to be wearing the gloves for Germany at the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

He wanted to keep his condition a secret for a number of reasons. Young, fit and dynamic sportsmen are not supposed to have days when they can barely get out of bed in the morning, let alone go to training, play a match or banter with their team-mates.

Least of all, those entrusted with the number one shirt, the last line of defence, the reliable, rock-solid presence in goal. Enke feared for his career if he went public with his depression but also for the future of his family. He says he did not want to be labelled as weak because he had a mental illness by his peers.

Is the will to win or the monetary gain placed above our athletes’ health? We saw what Manchester United did when they lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich in Germany in a Champions League match back in March. Wayne Rooney got injured in the game, against all medical advice he was back on the pitch against the same opponents a week later. We know what happened there, he was never the same again for either United or England. He has been battling to regain his form and fitness since. The pressure of carrying the English national team has also been placed on his shoulders, which is too much for a younger player.

It seems there is always some new name from South America being bandied around Europe as “the new Pele”, “the new Maradona” or “the best kid the world has ever seen”. In Argentina, every young player that comes through and shows great promise is labelled as the next Maradona. Some have fulfilled their potential while some have failed to live up to the expectations. The list includes Javier Saviola, Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Diego Mario Buonanotte, the list is endless. Brazil is also the same, every young player that comes through the ranks at Pele’s former club, Santos, is labelled as the next Pele. Robinho was one such player and we know what happened to him, he failed miserably at Manchester City.

Former Danish international Thomas Lindrup says the international football community still has a lot to learn from the Deisler experience. “The truth is that the pressure on the players is just getting bigger and bigger. It is getting out of hand. When some players go from being relatively unknown to earning a lucrative contract with a big club they go from one world into another. When you are traded for x number of millions, you are also expected to deliver the goods and usually youngsters are not given the time they need in order to become a success. The club and the fans perhaps expect the youngsters to get them out of hot waters but instead it is really the youngster who needs the support. How can anyone expect you to lead a club or a nation when you are only 17, 18 or 19?”