Barcelona captain Ronald Araujo has spoken publicly for the first time about his mental health since taking a break. Araujo ended up missing almost four weeks of action after being sent off against Chelsea in late November, which proved to be the breaking point.
When he was out of work, Araujo worked with mental health professionals to recover, taking time off from football to go on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, which he described as ‘key’ to his recovery. In an in-depth interview with MD, Araujo explained that he is doing much better now.
“Things have changed a lot because I learned a lot during this time. I think it was the right thing to do after that decision I made. I feel different and I’m happy about it, because I’m more relaxed, I’m more happy. I can enjoy what I love to do, which is to play football, and that helps a lot.”
“It’s different… you see things from a different perspective. I felt like the worst is over, and now I see things differently. The time I left was for a reason, because I was finally able to work with professionals, with my family, and spiritually, which I needed. So I think that helped me a lot, and today I feel like a completely different person.”
🚨 Deco: “I am very happy for Ronald Araújo, for overcoming a difficult and complicated period, something we all have gone through at some point in our lives. He is the player we need, but beyond football and anything else, the most important thing is that he is healthy.”… pic.twitter.com/ihNwvvcRYl
– barcacentre (@barcacentre) February 11, 2026
Araujo on his red card against Chelsea
The Uruguayan defender explained that it wasn’t just his red card against Chelsea that affected his mental health, but rather the point where he realized he had to change something.
“It was a combination of things. I wasn’t doing well for a long time, maybe more than a year and a half. You try to be strong, maybe because of your roots, where you come from, you start to pass, but I felt like I wasn’t good. Not only in sports, but also in my family and personal life. I didn’t feel like myself, and that’s when I said I needed help and said the wrong thing. The kind of person who keeps everything to myself, but you also have to understand that there are professionals who can help you, give you the tools to handle situations some… I needed to speak up and say that there was something wrong with me in order to heal.”
Then it was back to the dressing room that it affected him.
“At the moment, with the rush of adrenaline, you just leave the field. You feel sad, but then, when the game is over, everything comes to you. I used to feel like I’m not good, that’s true, but because of practice you try to continue, and sometimes you need help. I was dealing with anxiety for about a year and a half that turned into a pitch like depression. You don’t feel like you really know your value and what you can give on the field, and when I didn’t feel good, I knew there was something what went wrong that day I realized that was it, I needed to talk to the experts and the team to help me.
‘We are people more than just footballers’ – Araujo
Continuing, Araujo highlighted the fact that regardless of the condition of the football players, it does not give them more mental protection.
“In the end we are people more than just football players, it’s not just money, it’s not just fame. We also suffer because of what happens on the field. We are lucky to do what we do, yes, but there is someone behind everything, there are feelings. I thank everyone because I saw a lot of support at that time, and understanding that we decided to quit football. people.”
Opening Deco and Hansi Flick
Araujo also explained in detail the process of opening the club to the team and coaches. He praised his teammates for supporting him, and players from all over Europe for their reaction to all football, but the first point was the Director of Football Deco.
“First, I spoke to Deco because he is the sports director, who is close to us. I told him what happened. At first, he was a little surprised, because it is rare for a Barcelona player to tell him these things, but he took it very well, personally. From the first minute, Deco called the president and the manager. They are amazing. [Echevarria]Bojan [Krkic]… they are part of our daily life. They were very important. From the beginning, they understood, and the club gave me everything I needed to recover. And that depends on the trust they have in me as a player.”
Hansi Flick in particular has taken it upon himself to look after Araujo.
“He took it personally. He was upset about the situation. Flick knows my abilities, and it was clear that I was not fulfilling my abilities. He knew that something was wrong. From the beginning, he sent me messages telling me to relax and recover, that the most important thing was to deal with it well. That gives you peace of mind to recover because you know that you have the support of the team, and the team manager, and the team manager.”
The impact of social media on soccer players
One of the most heated debates in football is the impact of social media and criticism on players, and how they are divided, or combined, from a team perspective.
As time goes by, you begin to understand where you are and what it is, the magnitude of everything you do. I tried to avoid it, but in the end, it reaches you through your friend, your brother, your family… I try to protect myself, but when it affects your family, it hurts.
“Let me tell you something to show you the magnitude of what is happening. I remember one day we were having a drink with my partner, I saw him changing his face as he looked at his phone, tears filled his eyes, I asked him what he saw, what was happening. ‘I don’t understand the evil of people, they wish our daughters to die,’ he told me. Social media may not affect you directly, but your family is suffering, your mother and your wife are suffering, and your siblings will also learn, because this is the country we live in, unfortunately, but it is difficult when it concerns the family.
Araujo noted in the interview that he was looking forward to continuing his career at Barcelona, which has a contract until 2031, and had no plans to start again elsewhere. Calling Barcelona and the city ‘home’, he explained that he felt a lot of pain in his back, and he was confident about getting back to his best form.
