Ján Ďurica discusses mental health struggles after football retirement

Former Slovak national football team defender Ján Ďurica has spoken openly about his struggle with severe mental health issues following his retirement from professional football in 2019. In an interview for the ‘DNA Úspechu’ podcast, Ďurica revealed that despite having financial stability, a home, and health, he experienced a profound loss of identity and suicidal ideation.

He described a period of deep isolation where he would cry in his childhood bedroom, struggling to understand why he felt so empty when his external life appeared successful. The transition from professional athlete to retirement left him without a sense of direction or purpose. Ďurica noted that he felt like a ‘wreck’ as he attempted to rebuild his life from scratch.

Rather than pursuing medication or antidepressants, Ďurica chose to navigate his recovery through personal catharsis and self-reflection. He has since transitioned into working as a mental coach.