3 Apr 2014

Depression, anxiety widespread among footballers

2:08 pm on 3 April 2014

World football's Players Union has revealed that more than a quarter of professional footballers who took part in a survey said they suffered from depression or anxiety.

Some 26 percent reported suffering from depression or anxiety and adverse nutritional behaviour, 19 percent reported adverse alcohol behaviour, three percent said they had low self esteem, and seven percent were smokers.

The survey involved 180 active professional footballers from six countries including New Zealand.