At the end of March, and Tottenham striker Richarlison told “ESPN Brazil” that therapy saved his life and his football career.
“We know how prejudiced people are when they say they’re looking for [psychological] help,” the 26-year-old said.
“I talk about it because it saved my life. I was at rock bottom. Only players know how much pressure we’re under, not only on the pitch but also off it.”
Richarlison’s comments were just the latest example of an athlete speaking publicly about their , something that has increased in the last five years. In Brazil though, such comments are not as common place as elsewhere.
According to a 2023 paper by professor Tania Maria de Araujo published in a Brazilian health journal, improving mental health provision across the country is hampered by access to mental health services and legislation. In the book “Mental Health in Elite Sport: Applied Perspective from Across the Globe,” eight authors collated insight into mental health in Brazilian sport and revealed how impactful , such as access to adequate nutrition and sanitation, are for young players.
Despite this and the overwhelming popularity of , cross-disciplinary teams delivering the technical, tactical, psychological and mental health needs of players and coaches are not commonplace in the country. are not often seen in the staff of first teams and although they are mandatory in youth academies, they are often under enormous strain, managing a number of teams alone. This, however, is an issue that is not unique to Brazil, but exists across .
“This issue is bigger than football,” Cauan de Almeida, head coach of second-division side America Mineiro, tells DW.
And at America, the club where Richarlison started his career, Cauan and his staff are doing their best to help players develop mentally on and off the field.
Coaching through values
The 35-year-old is the face of a new coaching generation in Brazil, one that has developed their skills in the academy and is now bringing those values into the first-team environment. Cauan has moved up from America’s academy and in doing so, he is bringing the values in his coaching philosophy – resilience, attitude, behavior, respect, courage, responsibility, and being a family – with him, and is delivering them on the training pitch in combination with his technical and tactical coaching.
This is not to say the club isn’t focused on winning. As one of the most traditional clubs in the country, America is desperate to return to the top flight, but Cauan and his staff also know there is value in creating a meaning beyond just the victory on the pitch.
“We understand if we deliver on these values and this philosophy, day by day we can bring something more consistent for our players as a group,” Cauan says.
“When we bring these values for the players day by day, we are putting these values into their head, not just for our club but also for our families. We are inspiring new leaders. They will be better players and better people, and at home they can pass that knowledge onto their family.”
There is a recognition here of the importance of holistic coaching.
“We understand it’s a very important thing to talk about with our group, but also for Brazilian football as a whole,” Cauan says.
“We as a leader of the process, we also deal with this situation. We can feel what Richarlison felt. We need to understand the pressure of the result and how to handle it when you lose the game. We also need to be mentally strong.”
To this end, Cauan is working with a leading sports psychologist in the country to help himself and his players. When asked if this was common practice in football in the country, his response was telling: “I think no because my psychologist told me I am the first football coach she has seen.”
The holistic legacy
The biggest challenge for Brazilian football is to move away from the idea that to be a Brazilian football means to possess an ability that is purely expressive and natural and towards one that recognises the importance of the person and the mind.
“We also understand when we deliver on our values, we can leave a legacy for the club and players,” Cauan says.
The 35-year-old wants to implant these values into the heart of the club so that when the day comes when he is no longer the coach, the values remain, creating a strategic consistency that allows for long-lasting personal and professional development.
Richarlison has opened the door for generational change. Cauan de Almeida is making sure America Mineiro are doing their best to follow though. Their hope is Brazilian football as a whole does the same.
Edited by: Chuck Penfold
The post Richarlison can spur change in Brazilian football mentality appeared first on Deutsche Welle.