Film highlights the mental health pressures facing young footballers

A film on Martin Bengtsson, a former Inter Milan academy player who attempted suicide, will be released in UK cinemas on Friday with the aim of highlighting the mental health pressures put on young footballers.

Ronnie Sandahl’s movie ‘TIGERS’ shows the journey a teenage Bengtsson went through from being signed to huge hype by the Serie A giants in 2004 to trying to take his own life nine months later in the midst of a gripping battle with depression.

Former Sweden youth international Bengtsson would eventually quit Italy and football altogether but his journal at Inter was turned into a book titled ‘In the shadow of San Siro’ and after Sandahl’s autobiographical drama earned much acclaim in Italy in 2020, it will now reach an English audience.

It could have been a very different story for the one-time protégé, considering his suicide attempt, but he is pleased it can be used to help others.

“I am very happy I am here today and I regret that it had to go that far,” Bengtsson told the PA news agency ahead of TIGERS UK release on July 1.

“I have forgiven myself for that, that it went that far but it is a hard thing to talk about. It is a tough thing for my family and those who are close around me that this happened, the journey of healing from that as well but this movie is part of the journey.

“This movie is part of the healing to revisit it, talk about it and slowly get distance to it. When it turns into fiction, it is ‘OK it is this story’ and it helps that it can be helpful for others that it turns into discussion.

“Other young players and people in general can see themselves in these feelings and hopefully feel a little bit less alone.”

The core story of TIGERS remains true to Bengttson’s with Inter of being made