Ibrahima Konate has revealed he battled depression during his final season at Liverpool following the tragic deaths of teammate Diogo Jota and his father. The 27-year-old defender, who is set to leave Anfield on a free transfer at the end of the month, spoke candidly about the emotional toll of losing Jota in a car crash last July and his father Hamady in January.
Speaking to France Inter radio, Konate described the impact of Jota's death: 'Even today it's hard to believe. His locker was still there in the dressing room... It devastated me. I didn't have any interest in anything else at that point.' He added that Jota was 'the last person anyone would have chosen this to happen to' and that he was his neighbour, making the loss even more personal.
Konate also struggled with his father's illness and subsequent death. 'At the start of the season, my father was in hospital for several weeks... I didn't know who to talk to about it, so I kept it all to myself,' he said. He urged others to seek support: 'When you're feeling down, you need to talk to those around you. It can help you and do you good.'
The centre-back admitted to experiencing depression, saying: 'There are low points, there's depression... You can suffer from depression in football too; there's no need to be ashamed to say so.' He dismissed the notion that high earnings should preclude mental health struggles, calling it 'rubbish'.
Konate, who is currently with France preparing for the World Cup, said he returned early from compassionate leave to help an injury-hit Liverpool. He acknowledged the support of fans, teammates, and family but stressed the need to 'get back on my feet on my own because the team needed me more than ever'.
