In an exclusive interview published by The Athletic on June 15, Barcelona's Uruguayan defender Araujo spoke in detail for the first time about his reasons for temporarily leaving Barcelona. He revealed that anxiety had plagued him for the past year and a half, and during the most difficult period of the season, he and his family even received constant death threats, ultimately leading him into a state of depression.
Uruguayan center-back Ronald Araujo sat in the interview area, looking calm and relaxed. A few months ago, such a state would have been almost unimaginable for him. In Barcelona, the hustle and bustle never stops. There is always a next match, always new controversies and crises, always new prodigies emerging, and always new championships to contend for. This massive football machine runs too fast; it won't stop for anyone, and few dare to ask it to slow down. Araujo had tried to keep up with it all. He trained as usual, played as usual; he wore the captain's armband, led the team into battle; he smiled for the cameras, and remained strong in the face of the outside world. But beneath the calm surface, something had already begun to quietly crumble.
By December 2025, the 27-year-old Uruguayan defender had finally reached his limit. For a year and a half, anxiety had constantly plagued him. And during the most difficult period of the season, he and his family even received constant death threats. Eventually, these pressures escalated into depression. Araujo realized that he could no longer pretend everything was normal; he needed help. So, he reached an agreement with Barcelona to temporarily step away from football. The club did not publicly state the specific reasons at the time, nor did they provide a clear timetable for his return. It wasn't until his return to the field in January 2026 that Araujo first openly spoke about this experience.
The Athletic interviewed him at Barcelona's training ground before he reported to the Uruguayan national team at the end of May to prepare for the FIFA World Cup. Compared to a few months prior, he was noticeably different—more relaxed, more confident, and happier. "I want to tell you something that might surprise many people. Although I haven't played exceptionally much this season, this is the season where I've learned the most in my career. I've grown a lot mentally. I've learned to be a better husband, a better father, and to look at life from a different perspective. Many people think footballers earn a lot and live glamorous lives, so they won't have any worries, but that's not true at all. Many things happen in the football world, and these things constantly accumulate, eventually turning into pressure. You might be the best player in the world after playing a match on Wednesday; but after losing on Saturday, you become the worst. Because I hardly check social media, some people couldn't directly affect me, so they found another way. They messaged my wife and threatened my daughters. You constantly try to find solutions, constantly think about how to deal with these things. I know this is part of professional football, but some things should not be taken for granted or tolerated."
Araujo clearly remembers the starting point of his breakdown. It was November 25, 2025, at Stamford Bridge in London. In a Champions League match, Barcelona played Chelsea away. Barcelona was 1-0 down, with only one minute left before halftime. Araujo had already received a yellow card. However, just before the end of the first half, he made a poorly timed tackle when defending Cucurella. Referee Slavko Vinčić did not hesitate to show a second yellow card, which led to a red card, and Araujo was sent off.
Recalling that moment, he said: "Knowing I already had a yellow card, I still rushed in to foul. I immediately realized something was wrong with me. But I've always found it difficult to express these emotions. Even with my closest wife, it was hard for me to talk. I always kept everything inside. Until that day, I finally told myself: enough, I have to talk about what's happening."
Subsequently, Araujo made the decision to pause his career. "My state was really bad at the time. I wasn't my old self anymore, neither as a player nor as a person. I know my abilities, I know my limits. But I hadn't been able to maintain a good state off the field for a long time, and all of this ultimately affected my performance on the pitch." He believed that the problem was never just from football. "Many things accumulate. Some are even experiences from childhood, buried and accumulating over time, eventually causing a huge impact. I needed professional help. I needed to find myself again, to regain the tools to face life."
It's not that anxiety and depression have never been discussed in the football world. Barcelona fans have heard Iniesta and Bojan openly share their mental health issues, but neither truly left the field because of it. Araujo, however, became the first Barcelona player in recent years to voluntarily suspend his career due to mental health problems.
"It's not easy to say 'I need help, I have to stop' to a club like Barcelona, but I had no hesitation. Because I knew I really needed help. Since that's the case, I wasn't afraid to face any consequences. I am very grateful to the club. Deco, Etxeberria, board members, the president, teammates – they all took this seriously and gave me tremendous help. I think we should normalize such things more. There is still too much prejudice and taboo surrounding mental health in the football world, and not just in football, but in society as a whole."
Araujo believes that faith played an extremely important role throughout his recovery. As a devout Christian, he traveled to the Middle East during his recuperation, visiting holy sites such as Bethlehem and Jerusalem. "Rediscovering my true self, reconnecting with God, all of this was crucial for me. Of course, there was also the help of professional therapists. But regaining strength spiritually was the most critical thing. That brought me back to life."
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick kept in touch with him during this time. The German coach gave him ample patience and helped him gradually return to the field. On December 29, 2025, Araujo officially made his comeback. On that day, Barcelona held its traditional Christmas open training session. Tens of thousands of fans came to watch.
When Araujo appeared on the field, the stands suddenly erupted with synchronized shouts: "Uruguayan! Uruguayan!" This was how Barcelona fans had always expressed their affection. For Araujo, who had just experienced a low point in his life, this scene was incredibly significant.
"When I heard them calling me that, I was really moved. Since joining Barcelona in 2018, I've always given my all for this club, and the fans have always recognized me. But when I stopped, I also cut off all contact with the outside world, so I had no idea how they would see me." After the Chelsea match, social media was full of criticism of him, but the reaction from the live fans was completely different. "That day made me realize a truth: the world is actually divided into two parts. One is the world of social media, and the other is the real world. Social media can be crazy sometimes, and the most important thing is that you have to learn to distinguish what is real and what is not."
After helping Barcelona successfully defend their La Liga title, Araujo turned his full attention to the FIFA World Cup. During the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup, he missed all of Uruguay's matches due to injury. Although he was included in the final squad, he never played, and Uruguay unfortunately failed to advance past the group stage. Therefore, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is incredibly significant to him. Despite some minor physical question marks, Araujo finally has the chance to make his FIFA World Cup debut.
When speaking about Uruguay's head coach Marcelo Bielsa, he praised him unreservedly: "He is an outstanding coach, he always brings out the best in his players. I believe Uruguay has the strength to contend for the FIFA World Cup title." In this FIFA World Cup, Uruguay is drawn in Group H with Spain, Cape Verde, and Saudi Arabia. In the Spanish team, as many as 8 players are Araujo's teammates at Barcelona. He laughed and said: "We've been joking about this in the locker room for the past few weeks. It will definitely be a fantastic match. We are two top national teams; they just won the European Championship, and we are very much looking forward to facing them."
Regarding the future, Araujo has no thoughts of leaving Barcelona. Although he lost his absolute starting position this season, his contract with the club extends until 2031. "I feel great in Barcelona, I'm very happy here. No matter who the competitors are, I won't be afraid, because I have full confidence in myself and in the future. I believe the best years of my career are still ahead. After going through all of this, I've become more mature. In the coming seasons, I will gradually see the benefits of these experiences."
TA concluded by saying that for Araujo, this is not just a story about football, but also a story about mental health, family, faith, and growth. Over the past year and a half, he experienced anxiety, cyberbullying, death threats, and depression, and stood on the most vulnerable edge of his career. But now, he has risen again. And when Uruguay steps onto the field for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, this 27-year-old center-back will finally be able to face his FIFA World Cup debut with a calmer and more resolute heart. Perhaps, as he said: "My best times are yet to come."
Pemaekmouy
1
such a motivational and keep it up my wall we are with you.