Juventus winger Douglas Costa has admitted to thinking about retiring from football due to his issues with injury.
Due to various muscular problems, Costa has played for Juve only 90 times in three seasons and the 29-year-old admits they have affected his confidence.
“There are times when I think: ‘Can I still play?’” he told The Players’ Tribune. “[That’s] because I go out on the pitch and get injured again.
“People say ‘Douglas has the potential to be one of the best in the world, but injuries are holding him back.’ That annoys me.
“I have the potential to be a top player, but for reasons out of my control, I can’t be.”
The Brazilian then announced that he had engaged a mental coach to help him surmount his hell of injury.
“Every time I get injured, I ask myself: ‘What did I do wrong?’ I wonder why I can’t play consistently. It’s something that hurts me.
“Therefore, I asked for help. I don’t know if you’ve heard of a mental coach. They’re not a psychologist, but they show you how childhood facts can still affect you.”
However, he loves football too much to simple retire from it prematurely: “When I watch it on TV, I remember this is my passion and that I can still play at a high level. This is what keeps me alive, I know football comes easy to me. It has nothing to do with money or being famous.”
He concluded, “The point is to do what you enjoy and have fun doing it. That’s my objective. I joke with Alex Sandro that I’ve had more scans than I’ve played games.”
