Jude Bellingham Advocates for Mental Health Awareness Among Athletes

Call to Action from the Midfielder

Jude Bellingham, the 22-year-old midfielder for Real Madrid and the England national team, is encouraging top athletes to share their experiences regarding mental health and to reduce their engagement with toxic social media interactions.

Recently, Bellingham was excluded from the England squad, prompting a wave of commentary about him across various media platforms.

Reflection on Social Media Usage

As a Laureus Ambassador, on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, Bellingham expressed that he used to frequently check social media to see what people were saying about him, but he has since chosen to disengage from it.

“During my early days at Birmingham, I would search for my name on Twitter and read all the comments.”

“Even when the feedback was positive, I realized: Why should I let the opinions of people who don’t know me determine my self-worth?” he shared.

“I knew I was a capable player before checking Twitter—so what was the benefit of reading others’ opinions?”

“Naturally, negative remarks would have a detrimental impact, prompting me to reconsider: Why put my mental well-being at risk?”

“There’s enough negativity and pressure in professional sports without needing to seek it out. Now, while negative comments don’t affect me as much, I prefer not to see them at all.”

The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media

Bellingham acknowledges the role of social media in fostering a connection with fans, but he also perceives a prevailing “suck it up and deal with it” mentality regarding online abuse.

“With the rise of social media, there are more ways for individuals to attack others and bring them down. Furthermore, there remains a stigma associated with discussing mental health,” he noted.

“I’ve encountered moments of vulnerability, periods of self-doubt when I needed someone to confide in, yet I chose to maintain a tough athlete persona of ‘I don’t need anyone.'”

“The reality is that we all require support—it’s universal. Discussing our feelings and emotions can lead to significant relief.”

As athletes, “it seems we have everything we could want—financial success, fame—making it appear as though we remain unaffected.”

“But being open about our vulnerabilities can spark broader conversations for those who are suffering in silence.”