West Ham Star's Brave Confession
West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek has shown tremendous courage by revealing his private battle with mental health issues that became so severe he considered retiring from professional football. The Czech Republic captain, a key figure for the Hammers, has spoken openly about his struggles with insomnia and depression in his newly released autobiography titled 'Suk'.
The Silent Struggle Behind the Scenes
The 30-year-old footballer disclosed that his problems began approximately two years ago and gradually escalated to the point where he was entering "every match without sleep". Soucek described this period as "two years of horror" during which he felt ashamed to discuss his condition, keeping it hidden even from his parents until he decided to write about it.
"I was at the bottom," Soucek revealed in an excerpt from his book. "I would run into every match without sleep. Every match! Can you imagine? I was afraid of failure, I was afraid of reactions, I was afraid of everything." The midfielder, who recently scored in West Ham's 3-2 victory over Burnley, expressed how the psychological pain affected him differently from physical injuries he's sustained throughout his career.
Finding Solutions and Symbolic Celebrations
In his search for answers, Soucek turned to technology, purchasing a whoop bracelet in autumn 2023 to monitor his heart rate and sleep quality. This device became part of his effort to understand and manage his condition, providing data that helped identify when he was becoming overloaded.
The West Ham favourite also explained the deeper meaning behind his trademark helicopter goal celebration. He described it as representing the feeling of freedom and escape from the internal battles he was facing off the pitch. "By trying a thousand ways to get out of it, I was sinking deeper into the mud," Soucek admitted. "And that's why the helicopter was created, my goal celebration. I start to spin slightly and enjoy the feeling of taking off."
Despite his struggles, Soucek has maintained an impressive career trajectory. He played an integral role in West Ham's historic 2023 Conference League triumph and recently equalled Patrik Berger's record as the joint highest-scoring Czech in Premier League history with 38 goals. The Burnley match also marked his 250th appearance for the club since his £19.1 million permanent move from Slavia Prague in 2020, following an initial successful loan spell.
