Recently, the topic of depression during the career of professional male footballers has been a subject of public interest. However, there has been an absence of published research directly
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exploring this phenomenon, despite numerous personal disclosures within the media. This study sought to examine how semi-professional male footballers experienced depression during their sporting careers. Eleven former and current semi-professional footballers who had identified having experienced depression in their football career were recruited for this study. A qualitative methodology was employed and each participant was interviewed, using semi-structured interviews.
Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis, which uncovered three superordinate themes:
(1) footballers experiences of depression in their career; (2) stigma within the football culture; and
(3) career transitions. From this, three subordinate themes were found: (1) public perceived stigma; (2) academy to professional football; and (3) career termination. Results revealed how the male footballers experienced and responded to depression while coping with the pressures of the professional football environment. To finish implications of the research are discussed, and future research suggests further examination is needed when identifying the moderating factors between participation in professional football and depression.