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 “talking to someone for a few years now” about his mental health, adding the stigma around it “needs to go”. The Chelsea full-back has been recalled by Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine on Thursday and Sunday respectively after missing the 2022 World Cup with a hamstring injury.

Ad England are back in action for the first time since their defeat to France in the quarter-finals in Qatar. World CupPotter reacts to ‘nasty’ Chilwell hamstring injury — ‘It doesn’t look positive’02/11/2022 AT 23:21 «I've been talking to someone for a few years now, and I think the stigma around it is silly really, especially with men, and men in football in particular,» Chilwell said.

«The way it has helped me, I think it can definitely help everyone. The stigma is something that needs to go.” Chilwell — who was named in the England squad at Euro 2020 but didn't play a minute as England lost in the final — is hoping to use the heartache of missing out on the England squad in Qatar as something positive.

»Of course, mentally, it is very challenging,” he continued. “All footballers go through periods of their career when things are mentally challenging and you have to be resilient, be strong, go through it and come through the other side stronger.

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