Juventus and Brazil captain Danilo reveals he was “depressed” and felt “useless” in his first season at Real Madrid when he even thought about quitting football.He claims that seeing a psychologist, however, saved his career.The 31-year-old defender opened up about his personal and professional life in an open letter published by The Players’ Tribune.He joined Juve in 2019 from Manchester City, and the first big move of his career came in 2015 when he moved to Real Madrid from Porto in a €31m deal.🗣️ Danilo: “Theo stole the ball from me and then Deyverson scored. We won 4-1, but it was a mistake that can’t be made at Real Madrid. I will never forget to get home that night and not be able to sleep. I wrote in my diary: I think it’s time to quit football. I was 24 years… pic.twitter.com/G53UvkvV3M— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) June 21, 2024 However, it didn’t all go as planned for him in the Spanish capital.”During my first season at Real Madrid, I was depressed. I was lost, feeling useless. On the field, I couldn’t make a five-meter pass. Off the field, it was like I couldn’t even move,” Danilo revealed before continuing:”My passion for football disappeared, and I didn’t see a way out. I wanted to go back to my home in Brazil and never play football again.”When we played against Alaves a few months into the season, Theo Hernandez stole the ball from me and crossed for Deyverson to score. We still won 4–1, but it was a mistake you can’t make at Real Madrid. I’ll never forget going home that night and not being able to sleep. I wrote in my journal: I think it’s time to quit football. I was 24 years old.”##NAJAVA_MECA_8173385##The turning point for Danilo was seeking help and seeing a therapist.”Casemiro tried to help me, but I ‘swallowed the frog’, as they say. And it kept getting bigger. But after a few months of suffering, I started seeing a psychologist, and he really saved my career. The most important lesson he taught me was to see the game through the eyes of a child again. When you play football as a child, you never think too much, right? Your body and mind are in sync. Basically: you don’t care if you make mistakes. You just play. Suddenly, I stopped seeing myself as Danilo, the 31-million-euro transfer.”I started seeing myself as Danilo from Bicas, the boy who always locked my locker at America Mineiro because I kept a roll of toilet paper in there like it was ‘gold’.”DANILO from Santos F.C (2010-11) to Juventus F.C 2020-21 pic.twitter.com/mK8MIVPs9b— Old School Panini (@OldSchoolPanini) January 10, 2021 From that point on, everything improved for him. He now leads both the Brazilian national team and Juventus.”When I received the captain’s armband at Juventus, it was a great honour, but when I received the captain’s armband for Brazil, it was something entirely different. An immense, incomparable honour.”When Dorival Junior told me I would be the captain in the friendlies against England and Spain, I told myself: ‘No matter what happens in the next game or beyond, I can die happy.'”COPA AMERICA – GROUP STAGESunday 00.55: (2.00) Ecuador (3.30) Venezuela (4.00)04.00: (1.55) Mexico (3.90) Jamaica (6.75)Monday00.55: (1.20) USA (6.75) Bolivia (14.0)04.00: (1.30) Uruguay (5.20) Panama (11.0)Tuesday00.55: (1.65) Colombia (3.60) Paraguay (6.00)04.00: (1.15) Brazil (7.75) Costa Rica (19.0)Wednesday00.55: (3.25) Peru (3.25) Canada (2.30)***odds are subject to change***
