Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Isaac Mabotsa spoke candidly to Josta Dladla about his struggles with mental health after retiring from professional football.
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The story
Isaac Mabotsa, who plied his trade for the Glamour Boys, SuperSport United, Bidvest Wits, and Mpumalanga Black Aces, opened up about the challenges he faced after retiring from football.
The shift from the high-profile world of professional football to everyday life is a tough transition for many players, with financial difficulties being a common struggle for several of Mzansi's retired stars.
Following World Mental Health Day on October 10, there's growing recognition of the need for both current and former footballers to have open conversations about their mental health struggles.
When Dladla asked Mabotsa about his post-retirement experience on the Izinja zeGame Podcast, the Chiefs Youth Academy product didn't hesitate to share the difficulties he faced during this period.
"A lot things happened. Number one, you lose friends, they are no more to be found. You'd be calling people the whole day and no one would answer," shared Mabotsa.
"It was a difficult period, I even went through depression. I was even afraid to go out there and face the world. It was my uncle Mike from Soweto who encouraged me to pick myself up and to help coach youngsters in the area. I had lost everything my brother," he told Dladla.
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Watch below:
Skip to the sixth-minute to hear Mabotsa speaking about his mental health struggles:
