Baena: I was forced to leave my family when I was 11 years old, and I thought about giving up football and everything

Hupu News on October 12 Baena is at the peak of his career. He was Atletico Madrid's star signing this summer and won the 2024 European Cup with Spain. Now he is a regular under De La Fuente. Yet less than a year ago, he thought about giving it all up. At a time when mental health is of particular concern, Baena calmly spoke about his feelings in an interview after witnessing up close what captain Morata was going through. Here is the first part of his interview.

When you return to the national team, do you feel that your role is different?

"I feel the same as when I was first selected. It is a pride to come to the national team and to be a member of this group of players. I am always ready to help the coach and the team. Indeed, as you spend more time with your teammates and the technical team, you adapt better, More confident in everything. From the first time I was called up to now, I feel that I have become more important. "

Not so long ago, not even that long ago, you wouldn't believe it

"Indeed, after losing with the U21 national team. After the final, I personally went through a bad period, and I even had the idea of giving up football and everything. But through a psychiatrist and my family, I was able to get over that period.

World Mental Health Day has just passed, and you are becoming more and more willing to open up and tell many unknown things

"People only see the good side, such as being recognized on the street, they think it is positive, and there are money issues, thinking that you are doing well...but they don't know the bad side behind it. You need to be on call 24 hours a day, take care of your body, run around and not see your family, and you can't do whatever you want like your friends, because you have to pay attention to your diet and rest. People only see the bright side, but football is very cruel. Only those around us know the hardships behind us. Even though we are the lucky ones, it is a mixed bag of good and bad. "

Does your situation stem from the sacrifice of having to leave home at a young age?

"Yes, I left when I was 11 years old and was away from my family. I think they had it harder than I did. There were many times when I wanted to give up everything and go home to be with my friends and family. My mother has always been the one who pushed me to pursue my dreams and work hard. If I think back to all the teammates who have been with me from the beginning until now, very, very few of them have made it to where they are today, only two or three teammates. It's hard, but you have to chase your dreams, fight for them, and if it doesn't work out, you have to do something else. It is important to realize that success is very difficult. Probably only one in a thousand kids can make a living from professional football. It is very important to learn, or to have alternatives, not to put all your hopes on football. "

Although every case is different, there is one that shocked us, and that was Morata

"Yes, because maybe people think that if we have a career of twenty years, we will be super happy, we will not encounter any problems, everything will be super smooth. But we have seen that this is not the case with examples like Morata, who had a bad day and had to seek help. This allows ordinary people who are going through difficult times to see and reflect. If we all have problems, why can't they? Morata has perfect character. He always thinks about helping others first and then himself. It's good that he's stepping up to draw attention to his experience. "

How important is the help of a psychiatrist in your situation?

"I started when I was promoted to the first team at Villarreal, I had been a regular in the lower echelons, and after taking that step, I found myself on the bench, which was a new situation for me and I didn't quite understand. Because I was young at the time, only 17 years old, I thought there was nothing wrong with finding a psychiatrist. Now I will chat with him even if I am very happy. Just seeing him and talking to him makes me feel better. He has become a key figure in helping me improve a lot, both in football and in life. "