Richarlison's Shocking Revelation: "I Thought About Driving My Car Into a Wall"

In a candid interview with France Football, Richarlison opened up about his battle with depression following Brazil's elimination from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Tottenham star vividly described the dark period he endured, revealing his most challenging thoughts.

"After the 2022 World Cup, I fell into depression. Every possible disaster seemed to hit me. Elimination, betrayal by my agent, family problems, setbacks in my form. It was the first time I had so many issues. I felt like I was in a bottomless pit," Richarlison confessed.

He explained how he managed to find his way back, emphasizing the role of the people in his life: "I worked with a psychologist, but above all, I met my wife. I felt love for the first time. One afternoon, while driving to the airport, I looked into her eyes and told her, 'Thank you for saving my life.' How many times, while driving, did I think about crashing into a wall? Now that she's here, I don't think about such nonsense."

Richarlison also touched upon his difficult childhood in the favelas, recounting a harrowing incident that left its mark: "I had Neymar's haircut and a Santos jersey. They mistook me for a drug dealer. In the favelas, many wear jerseys; it's like a uniform. They thought we were selling drugs. One of them pointed a gun at my temple. I remember he was drunk and told me he would kill me. We left, fearing they would shoot us in the back."

Finally, the Brazilian forward revealed that he was once close to joining Paris Saint-Germain as a potential replacement for Mbappé. He also made a promise to Carlo Ancelotti ahead of the 2026 World Cup: if called up to the national team, he will leave his mobile phone behind to remain fully focused on his goal.