Ibrahima Konate has delivered a deeply emotional account of the personal struggles that shaped one of the most difficult periods of his career, opening up about grief, depression and the devastating losses of both his father and former teammate Diogo Jota.
The France international admitted that a year marked by tragedy left him emotionally drained, with the deaths of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, followed by the passing of his father Hamady, taking a heavy toll on his mental health.
Speaking to France Inter radio, Konate highlighted the importance of discussing mental health in football and challenged the misconception that professional athletes are immune to emotional struggles.
“There are low points, there’s depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there’s no need to be ashamed to say so,” he said.
“It’s true that I’ve often heard players say they were suffering from depression and that fans or people on the outside didn’t understand because they were earning a lot of money. But no, that’s rubbish and you shouldn’t say that.
“Depression is personal; it’s deep inside you. When you’re depressed, it starts in the heart, goes up to the brain and takes over your whole body.
“For me, that’s what’s hard, and we need to talk about it.”
Konate also reflected on the tragic deaths of Jota and his brother Silva, an event that shook Liverpool’s dressing room and football fans worldwide.
The defender admitted he struggled to focus on anything else after learning of the heartbreaking news.
“It devastated me. I didn’t have any interest in anything else at that point.
“You go back to football because you have no choice. We’re employees at a club that pays us every month, so we have duties.
“We had no choice but to go back on the field and play for him and his family — as well as ourselves. There’s no way of getting over it, but you learn to live with it.”
While the squad was mourning the loss of Jota, Konate was privately carrying another emotional burden as his father battled a serious illness.
The centre-back revealed he felt trapped between family responsibilities and his commitment to the team, choosing to keep his struggles to himself.
“I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know whether I should go home and stop playing, because the team needed me too,” he said.
“I didn’t know who to talk to about it, so I kept it all to myself. And this is the advice I’d give to everyone: when you’re feeling down or something’s going on, you need to talk to those around you.
“It can help you and do you good. I didn’t talk about it and kept it to myself.
“The doctors then told us he didn’t have long to live, but we didn’t know it would happen so quickly.”
Despite taking compassionate leave, Konate returned to action after informing then-head coach Arne Slot that he wanted to help a Red side dealing with defensive injuries.
His emotional comeback included a goal against Newcastle at Anfield, but internally he admits he was far from healed.
“There was never a moment when I felt like I was on the mend,” he added.
“All of these tragic events happened so quickly and as soon as I felt like I was getting my head above water, something else happened.
“I had the support of all these fans, who are exceptional at Liverpool, my teammates and especially my family but I also had to learn how to get back on my feet on my own because the team needed me more than ever and I know that my father would have wanted me to get back.”
Konate’s candid reflections offer a powerful reminder that footballers face the same emotional challenges as anyone else, regardless of their status or success.
As he begins a new chapter in his career, his willingness to speak openly about grief, depression and resilience may prove just as impactful as anything he achieved on the pitch.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
