Worrying
Barcelona Vice-Captain Ronald Araújo Flies to Israel for Mental-Health Break After Public Breakdown
Barcelona’s Ronald Araújo takes indefinite leave to seek spiritual and mental health support in Israel, as the club and football world rally behind him as he struggles with depression and anxiety.
Ronald Araújo, Barcelona’s 26-year-old Uruguayan centre-back and vice-captain, quietly landed at Ben Gurion Airport Tuesday night, seeking spiritual refuge in the Holy Land after the club granted him indefinite leave to address severe depression and anxiety attacks.
The decision follows a string of high-profile errors that culminated in a straight red card against Chelsea in the Champions League two weeks ago. While that dismissal did not knock Barça out of the competition, it proved the final straw for a player who has repeatedly blamed himself for costly exits: the 2024 quarter-final collapse against PSG after his red card in Paris, and last season’s semi-final heartbreak against Inter when his 90+3’ mistake handed the Italians a lifeline.
Catalan media report Araújo has been battling crippling panic attacks, overwhelming guilt for “letting down teammates,” and dread of vicious online abuse. Sources close to the club say the situation became so acute that his future at the elite level is genuinely in doubt.
Rather than hide the crisis, Barcelona’s board, coaching staff, and dressing room rallied behind him with rare public support. Club president Joan Laporta and manager Hansi Flick told Araújo: “Take all the time you need. There are things bigger than football.”
A devout Christian, Araújo is spending his days visiting holy sites in search of peace and perspective away from the Camp Nou spotlight.
His openness has already sparked praise worldwide. Former stars Andrés Iniesta and Gianluigi Buffon, who both battled depression during their careers, sent messages of solidarity, while mental-health advocates hailed Barça’s stance as a watershed moment for a sport notoriously hostile to vulnerability.
“Football is a pressure cooker,” one La Liga psychologist told reporters. “You earn millions, date models, drive supercars and if you admit you’re struggling, fans tell you to man up. Araújo just proved you can be a warrior on the pitch and still need help off it.”
Whether the Uruguayan returns to the Barça shirt remains uncertain, but his courageous step, and his club’s compassionate response, has already changed the conversation around mental health in elite football.
Ynet contributed to this article.