The Beautiful Game Mourns

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For spectator sports, there's no comparison. It's a game that unites and divides people across the world for reasons that often have very little to do with the beautiful game itself. Football, soccer, футбол, fùtbol. There's nothing like it.
 
In his seminal book How Soccer Explains The World, Franklin Foer tours Europe and South America to observe these rivalries and passions that so often go beyond the field. Take the footage of Zvonimir Boban, a Croat fighting with Serb police; the tragic shooting of Andres Escobar; the pig head thrown at Luis Figo; or the uproar caused by Mo Johnston, a Catholic, when he turned his back on his former team, Celtic FC, and signed with the Rangers, their Protestant rivals.
 
It's no surprise that former Liverpool manager Bill Shankley once stated, the game is "not a matter of life and death... it's more important than that."
 
Yet for all the fierce competition and grievances that stretch back centuries, the tragic suicide of German goalkeeper Robert Enke has raised a new set of serious questions about the state of the game. Notably: Is the pressure to perform too great for these young professionals, who usually come straight from high school? And does this culture dissuade these sporting heroes in question from seeking medical help?
 
From a sporting perspective, Enke's death is particularly shocking when one considers his accomplishments within the sport. He was regarded as one of the best goalkeepers on the European continent and was set to hold the fort for the German national team in this year's World Cup in South Africa. So what went wrong?
 
After great success in Germany and Portugal, Enke experienced tumultuous stints in Spain playing for Barcelona and then in Turkey with Fenerbahce. During his time in Turkey, many of his friends claim he sought medical help after he was pelted with bottles during a disastrous debut against rivals Istanbulspor. But on his return to Germany with the club Hannover 96, Enke excelled again and demonstrated the type of form that led to his first call up to the German national side. Unfortunately, his death meant German football fans saw far too little of him representing his nation.
 
When discussing the pressure football professionals face, most journalists discuss how many turn to alcohol or performance-enhancing drugs to raise their game. Yet very few broach the subject of mental health.
 
Football is a multi-trillion dollar industry. The World Cup has not only surpassed the Olympics as the most popular sporting event on the planet but it now attracts (pdf) a cumulative 26.29 billion viewers making it the most watched television event in the world. When the commentator states a player has the eyes of the world on him, he's not exaggerating. The numbers add up to a lot of pressure.
 
Having witnessed the preparations for the critical Egypt versus Algeria match, it's pretty clear it's business as usual for the game. The cutthroat rivalries on and off the field are what makes football a de facto religion for billions of people, and it's completely unrealistic to expect these rivalries to cease. But the game has to change.
 
These days we have clubs insuring limbs for as much as $150m and physiotherapists exploring all sorts of fascinating physical treatments. Yet ensuring the mental well-being of these young sportsmen and women is not as high on the priority list, and garners nowhere near the same kind of attention as their physical health.
 
Competition and the opportunity for glory guarantees there will always be pressure in sport. And this means aiding young sports professionals in dealing with the anguish of failure--and let's not forget success. This should be a primary concern for any sporting club or franchise, if not as of the events of last week, then now.
 
(Image by Nick Wiebe)
 
Read more stories at YPNation, America's young professionals network.