Irish Sunday Mirror

PEOPLE THINK WE’RE NOT AFFECTED BY ALL THE ABUSE... WE ARE

Di Maria reveals he had to see a shrink after criticism

- BY SIMON MULLOCK Chief Football Writer

ARGENTINA stars Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain know exactly what kind of mental torment Raheem Sterling is going through at the moment.

Di Maria needed the help of a psychologi­st to rescue his internatio­nal career after becoming the target of a witch hunt in his homeland.

And Juventus striker Higuain threatened to quit football after being tormented by online trolls in the four years since Argentina were beaten in the World Cup Final by Germany.

Both men will be in Jorge Sampaoli’s squad for this summer’s tournament.

Meanwhile, Sterling is continuing to ride out the storm generated by having a rifle tattoo inked on to his right leg.

And England boss Gareth Southgate will be hoping that the criticism has not left one of his key players as psychologi­cally damaged as Di Maria and Higuain once were.

Di Maria, the 30-year-old Paris Saint-germain winger who joined the French club from Manchester United in 2013, had to seek counsellin­g after being hammered for some poor performanc­es in Argentina’s qualifying campaign.

He admitted: “The criticisms and memes that people make may seem like they don’t hurt you, but they hurt you a lot.

“They were things that made me even think about leaving the team.

“The psychologi­st helped me a lot. He helped me to talk, helped me to process the problem and helped me to understand these things.

“I realised that it is easy for a person with a telephone or who is sitting behind a computer to criticise.

“The therapy helped me greatly, my head is fine now and I feel good.

“There is nothing wrong with getting psychologi­cal help. It can be necessary. I needed it. It is difficult sometimes when they criticise you from all sides.”

Higuain also came under attack from keyboard warriors after Argentina lost 1-0 to Germany in Rio de Janeiro. The level of vitriol rose after the team, led by Lionel Messi, lost successive Copa America finals to Chile. It got to the point where Higuain – who has also played for River Plate, Real Madrid and Napoli in a stellar career that has brought him 31 goals in 70 appearance­s for his country – felt the criticism was affecting the health of his seriously ill mother, Nancy.

Higuain (left), whose father Jorge was also a footballer, has only just returned to Sampaoli’s squad after an absence of almost a year.

He said: “The one who suffered most was my mum because my dad played football and I have brothers who are involved in the game.

“I always told her to be calm, that the criticism does not affect me and she told me the critics are a waste of time.

“I was about to stop playing and leave football, but my mum said no. If it was down to me, I would have left. I love football, but I love my mum more.

“I always kept quiet, whether I was getting criticism or praise. I do not think I am the best – or the worst – but I have played in Europe at the highest level for 12 years.”

Sterling, 23, has shown remarkable mental resilience to rise to the top of his profession.

He insists the tattoo of the M16 assault rifle is unfinished and will eventually be a fitting tribute to his father, who was murdered by a gunman outside his home in Jamaica when Sterling was just two.

The FA have given the former Liverpool winger their full support.

 ??  ?? DEMONS OF AN ANGEL Di Maria was driven seek to psychologi­cal help when victimised by trolls after Argentina lost
DEMONS OF AN ANGEL Di Maria was driven seek to psychologi­cal help when victimised by trolls after Argentina lost

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