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Mental health for footballers
Being sidelined or released can create an identity loss in a player because many players, both men and women, build their sense of who they are around being “a footballer”, so deselection can leave them feeling like they've gone from “everything to nothing" in a split second and this can sometimes lead to psychological distress, anxiety, depressive symptoms and even thoughts of suicide, in more severe cases.
Unclear communication or a lack of explanation from their managers or coaches can deepen this mindset, creating a sense of uncertainty and exclusion. It can also trigger a negative spiral where low mood reduces training intensity and can cause further harm for chances of selection.
Helpful ways to manage this mindset, include how to acknowledge the hurt, instead of suppressing it. How to find support from trusted people or mental health professionals, and what active coping strategies they can use to cope in these situations. These can be something like setting specific improvement goals, focusing on controllable factors, practicing positive self‑talk, and learning mental skills programmes like, cognitive‑behavioural therapy and mindfulness‑based techniques. These have been shown to improve coping skills and reduce distress in footballers.
Sources for the above information
If you would like more information on the above information or to check where the information came from, click the links below.
Dr Paul McCarthy - Sport Psychology
The British Psychological Society
The Professional Footballers' Association
The Turkish Journal of Sports Medicine
Coping strategies for benched players
Acknowledge your emotions, then re-focus
Allow yourself to feel disappointment, anger or embarrassment instead of pretending it does not hurt, then consciously shift attention to “What can I learn from this and what’s next?”
Focus on controllables and set concrete goals
Define specific, controllable targets (for example, improving pressing in the next 4 weeks, adding extra technical reps, refining game intelligence), rather than dwelling on the coach’s decision itself.
Use the bench as a learning position
Treat time off the pitch as a “video tower”: study opposition patterns, your direct rival’s movements, and tactical cues so you are game‑ready and can add value immediately when called.
Practice mental skills: self‑talk, breathing, routines
Use positive and instructional self‑talk (“You’re ready, stay sharp”), short breathing exercises and a simple match‑day/bench routine to stay calm, confident and engaged.
Lean on support and broader identity
Talk with trusted teammates, friends, family or a psychologist, keep enjoyment in other activities or roles (student, friend, sibling), and remind yourself that football is part of who you are, not all of it.
How a coach can support benched players
- Noticeable drop in mood: persistent sadness, flat affect, frequent tearfulness, or unusually low energy around training and matches.
- Withdrawal and isolation: skipping optional sessions, avoiding teammates, sitting away from the group on the bench or in the changing room, less talkative than usual.
- Changes in attitude, motivation or confidence: sudden disinterest, “what’s the point?” comments, loss of enjoyment, or a big shift from being engaged to going through the motions.
- Irritability and emotional outbursts: becoming snappy, argumentative, overly sensitive to feedback, or overreacting to small setbacks in training.
- Performance and routine changes: unexplained performance dips, frequent lateness or absences, noticeable changes in sleep or appetite, over‑training or risk‑taking on the pitch, or talk of self‑harm or not wanting to be here.
- If several of these signs appear together or continue, it is a strong cue to check in privately with the player and, where appropriate, help them access professional mental‑health support.
Warning signs coaches should watch for in benched players
Coaches should watch for changes in how a benched player behaves, feels and performs, especially when these changes persist over several weeks.
Key warning signs in benched players
Noticeable drop in mood: persistent sadness, flat affect, frequent tearfulness, or unusually low energy around training and matches.
Withdrawal and isolation: skipping optional sessions, avoiding teammates, sitting away from the group on the bench or in the changing room, less talkative than usual.
Changes in attitude, motivation or confidence: sudden disinterest, “what’s the point?” comments, loss of enjoyment, or a big shift from being engaged to going through the motions.
Irritability and emotional outbursts: becoming snappy, argumentative, overly sensitive to feedback, or overreacting to small setbacks in training.
Performance and routine changes: unexplained performance dips, frequent lateness or absences, noticeable changes in sleep or appetite, over‑training or risk‑taking on the pitch, or talk of self‑harm or not wanting to be here.
If several of these signs appear together or continue, it is a strong cue to check in privately with the player and, where appropriate, help them access professional mental‑health support.