Ben Chilwell: Chelsea and England defender opens up on mental health support, says stigma ‘needs to go’

England defender Ben Chilwell has revealed he has been “speaking to somebody for a couple of years now” about his psychological well being, including the stigma round it “must go”.

The Chelsea full-back has been recalled by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate for the Euro 2024 qualifiers in opposition to Italy and Ukraine on Thursday and Sunday respectively after lacking the 2022 World Cup with a hamstring harm.

England are again in motion for the primary time since their defeat to France within the quarter-finals in Qatar.

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“I have been speaking to somebody for a couple of years now, and I feel the stigma round it’s foolish actually, particularly with males, and males in soccer specifically,” Chilwell mentioned.

“The best way it has helped me, I feel it could possibly undoubtedly assist everybody. The stigma is one thing that should go.”

Chilwell – who was named within the England squad at Euro 2020 however did not play a minute as England misplaced within the last – is hoping to make use of the heartache of lacking out on the England squad in Qatar as one thing optimistic.

“After all, mentally, it is rather difficult,” he continued. “All footballers undergo durations of their profession when issues are mentally difficult and you must be resilient, be sturdy, undergo it and are available by means of the opposite facet stronger.

“That is the way in which I’ve tried to take a look at issues just like the accidents I’ve had and lacking the World Cup.

“I am attempting to spin it right into a optimistic scenario, so I can higher myself mentally and bodily, so once I come again taking part in I am prepared to assist Chelsea and England as nicely.”

The 26-year-old’s Chelsea team-mate Reece James can be again within the England set-up having additionally missed the World Cup resulting from harm, and Chilwell revealed the pair helped one another by means of what was a tough expertise.

“Very happy to see him again, I do know what a terrific participant Reece is,” added Chilwell.

“In a bizarre manner, it was good to have one another throughout that point because it was somebody you may share the ache of lacking a World Cup with, and we helped one another quite a bit from the expertise.”

Now that he’s again to full health, Chilwell has given Southgate a choice to make as to who begins at left-back with Manchester United’s Luke Shaw additionally pushing for a beginning position.

“One of many keys to a robust squad and profitable squad is when you might have two or three in every place pushing one another as competitors for locations is essential in all profitable groups,” Chilwell continued.

“We need to be a type of very profitable groups within the close to future so if we’re going to have competitors for locations at left-back it could possibly solely be a very good factor and hopefully me and Luke can push one another.”