Ben Chilwell Addresses Stigma Surrounding Men’s Mental Health After World Cup Absence

Injuries are inevitable in soccer. But while the physical consequences are widely discussed in gossip columns and on social media, hearing about how mental health impacts time away from the game is less common.

A player who knows this better than most is Ben Chilwell, who has been plagued with injuries over the past two seasons. His latest, a torn hamstring, saw the England defender miss out on a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Last week, before appearing for the national team for the first time since recovering, he opened up about how missing the tournament impacted him and the mental health support he received to get through it.

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“I’ve been talking to someone for a few years now,” he said before England’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Italy last week. “I think the stigma around it is silly really, especially with men in [soccer] in particular. The way it has helped me, it can definitely help everyone. The stigma around it is something that needs to go.”

Discussing the impact that injuries have had on his mental health, Chilwell said: “Of course, mentally, it is very challenging. All [soccer players] go through periods of their career when things are mentally challenging and you have to be resilient, be strong, and try and come through it and come out the other side stronger.”

He adds: “I’m trying to spin it into a positive situation, so I can better myself mentally and physically, so when I come back playing I’m ready to help Chelsea and England as well.”

Chilwell wasn’t alone in missing out on the World Cup. He added that having fellow Chelsea defender Reece James in the same position helped.

“In a weird way it was nice we had each other during that time because it was someone you could share the pain of missing a World Cup with,” he said. ‘We helped each other a lot through that experience.”