‘TEAM – Tackling the Mental Health Stigma in YouthFootball.’
- Feb 27
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 3
Understanding stigma starts with listening.
A good read for sports psychologists, mentors, coaches and parents follows!
2nd Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) - Trikala, Greece, 25-26 November, 2025
The 2nd Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) of the TEAM Project was held in Trikala, Greece, on
25 and 26 November 2025, bringing together project partners from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain,
and Portugal.
During the two-day meeting, partners reviewed the progress achieved since the beginning of the
project, with particular emphasis on the outcomes of Work Package 2 and its key deliverables
(D2.1, D2.2, and D2.3). Deliverables D2.1 and D2.2 were presented by the task-leading partner,
Ud’A, while Deliverable D2.3 was presented by the University of Nicosia.
Following these presentations, Professor Ani Chroni from the University of Inland Norway delivered
a detailed presentation outlining the methodological guidelines for conducting the upcoming
interviews and focus groups, marking the transition to the next research phase of the project.
In the same context, Work Package 3 which focuses on translating research findings into practical
training materials, tools, and guidelines for mental health promotion in youth football, was
presented by the University of Thessaly.
Particular emphasis was placed on Work Package 5 – Dissemination and Communication
activities, during which GDA presented the key performance indicators (KPIs) achieved to date,
along with an updated dissemination and communication plan aimed at further boosting the
project’s visibility, in light of its significant progress and the upcoming milestones to be achieved in
the coming months.
Completion of Deliverable 2.3: Awareness of Mental Health in Youth Football
A significant milestone presented during the meeting was the completion of Deliverable 2.3 (D2.3),
the “Report on the Awareness Level of Mental Health Symptoms in Youth Football (ALoMH-YFb)”.
This deliverable constitutes a core research output of Work Package 2 and concludes the large-
scale transnational survey conducted within the framework of the TEAM project.
The report is based on data collected through a quantitative online survey completed by 1523
young football players aged 15-19 across Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, ensuring a
minimum of 300 participants per country and robust cross-national representation.
Key findings
Mental health dialogue: A positive association was identified between the frequency of mental
health-related discussions within football environments and players’ awareness of available
professional help-seeking pathways.
Emotional Well-being and Stressors: The survey examined levels of subjective well-being,
including feelings of happiness, belonging, and trust within teams, alongside prevalent stressors
such as performance pressure, bullying, and academic demands.
Institutional gaps: While young athletes demonstrate awareness of the importance of mental
health, many football clubs lack formalized and structured support mechanisms.
Stigma and disclosure: Social stigma and fear of negative judgment remain significant
barriers, often discouraging young players from openly discussing mental health concerns
or seeking support.
In general:
Performance pressure and fear of evaluation have a significant negative impact on young players’ mental well-being.
Many players report stress, anxiety and pressure without clear support pathways
Mental health is rarely discussed within football clubs.
Coaching style and team culture play a decisive role in shaping mental health outcomes in youth football.
Mental health difficulties are not always visible through declines in athletic performance, making early identification challenging.
Supportive, autonomy-focused environments function as important protective factors for young athletes.
Awareness and mental health literacy remain inconsistent
Coaches and club structures are seen as key to improving the situation
These findings reinforce the need for structured, evidence-based approaches that place mental
health awareness at the core of youth football environments.
Addressing stigma requires more than individual effort. It requires:
Informed coaches
Supportive club cultures
Systems that allow young players to speak, learn, and develop safely within the sport.
Next Steps
Following the completion of the large-scale transnational survey, the TEAM project is entering the
next research phase within WP2, focusing on qualitative data collection through interviews and
focus groups. This phase is designed to complement the quantitative findings by providing a
deeper and more contextualised understanding of mental health in youth football.
While the survey offered a broad overview of mental health awareness and experiences among
young players, the upcoming qualitative research will explore how mental health issues are
perceived, recognised, and addressed within football environments.
The qualitative research – that will be implemented across all five partner countries – is structured
around two complementary phases:
Interviews, aimed at exploring the level of knowledge, awareness, and practical responses of youth football staff (including coaches, trainers, and administrators) when young athletes display mental health symptoms.
Focus groups, designed to examine mental health challenges in youth football from a multi-stakeholder perspective, allowing for in-depth discussion and shared insights among participants.
As for the target groups, interviews will primarily target coaches, club and academy staff of
national football associations. Focus groups will include mental health professionals, youth
football players, coaches, international and national associations.
The collected data will be analyzed and will result in two key reports:
Report on Mental Health Symptoms in Youth Football
Report on Staff’s Knowledge and Response Level on Mental Health Issues in Youth Football.
The findings from this phase will form a critical scientific foundation for the next stages of the
TEAM project, directly informing the development of the TEAM framework, the training materials,
and the final Handbook of Good Practices.
Keep an eye on this space, as the TEAM keeps tackling the stigma in youth football!
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 (Cyprus)
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:
