[Source: Reuters]

Brazil striker Richarlison battled with depression after his country’s quarter-final loss to Croatia at the 2022 World Cup and considered quitting football.

Richarlison, who plays for Tottenham Hotspur, said in September that he would seek psychological help after he was photographed crying on the bench when he was substituted during Brazil’s 5-1 thrashing of Bolivia in a 2026 World Cup qualifier.

The 26-year-old, capped 48 times by Brazil, has urged players to seek help for mental health issues.

“I’d just played in a World Cup, at my peak,” Richarlison told ESPN Brasil. “I was reaching my limit, you know? I don’t know, I’m not going to talk about killing myself, but I was in a depression there, and I wanted to give up.

“Even I, who seemed to be mentally strong. After the World Cup, it seemed like it all fell apart.”

After initial struggles at Spurs, who he joined from Everton for a reported fee of 60 million pounds ($75.68 million) in 2022, Richarlison has scored 11 goals in 26 appearances this season.