New Insights: Mental Health Challenges in Youth Football
- Evie Michael
- Nov 13
- 2 min read
Updated: 23 hours ago
A new study* reveals what young players really face — and what can be done to support
them.
A recent systematic review highlights an often-overlooked truth:
footballers aged 12–19 are increasingly struggling with anxiety, depression, burnout, and disordered eating — challenges that extend far beyond the game.
The numbers tell the story:
Up to 40% of youth players show mental health symptoms, especially girls and elder youth players during key transitions (e.g., moving to senior levels).
Anxiety & performance pressure: 11–28%
Depression: 6.5–40%
Disordered eating: 11–22%
Burnout & general wellness issues: 17–40%
Insights:
Higher risk in girls
Higher risk during transition to a higher level
Supportive, autonomy-driven environments boost confidence & reduce
anxiety
Control-focused, ego-driven settings worsen outcomes
Perfectionism, irrational beliefs & intense schedules increase mental strain
Belief in personal control (vs. external factors) improves resilience & lowers anxiety
What shapes their well-being:
A supportive, autonomy-based team climate boosts confidence and emotional balance.
Controlling or highly competitive environments increase stress and lower self-esteem.
Sleep, nutrition, and emotional regulation are vital for both health and performance.
How we can help:
Mental health should be valued as much as physical fitness.
Practical steps include:
Systematic monitoring of mental well-being
Coach education on empathy and communication and gender-sensitive approaches
Mental skills training in daily routines
Open discussions to break stigma and promote early help-seeking
Multidisciplinary support among coaches, parents, and professionals
“Break the stigma — mental strength starts with feeling safe to speak up and be yourself.”
*This study reviewed research from 2015–2025 and was presented at the 18th Annual
EuroMed Conference within the EU program ‘TEAM – Tackling the Mental Health Stigma
in Youth Football.’
The 'TEAM – Tackling the Mental Health Stigma in Youth Football' program is currently in
the process of collecting new data and extracting new findings in 5 European Union
countries (Cyprus, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal).
TEAM is operated by seven organizations from Europe, which combine their expertise in
sport, mental health and education. The project coordinator is the University of Nicosia,
while participating as partners are: GDA Sports and the Cyprus Football Federation
(Cyprus), Red Deporte (Spain), Gabriele D'Annunzio University Chieti-Pescara (Italy),
University of Thessaly (Greece), Associação de Futebol de Bragança (Portugal).
For more information about the TEAM project, visit our page and follow us on social
media:
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Project Number: 101184222
