Daniel Osvaldo retired from soccer in 2020, born in Argentina he would represent Italy on 14 occasions scoring 4 goals. The striker would play in Argentina, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and even the Premier League.
Despite a who’s who of clubs like Boca, Juve, and Inter, Osvaldo’s final years of his career was a freefall, playing only 2 games for his final club Banfield in Argentina.
Known for his rocker style, Osvaldo in 2016 began to smoke a cigarette after a Boca Juniors match which resulted in the termination of his contract and had a history of strange antics. The 38-year-old took to Instagram to inform the world that due to a depressive state, he is “not doing well at all”.
Daniel Osvaldo opens up on Instagram
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In the Instagram post Osvaldo was in tears as he admitted to years of taking drugs and battling depression, “It’s hard for me, but I think the moment has come because I am not doing well at all. I feel the need to say that I’ve been battling with depression, which has brought to some addictions, alcohol, and drugs. I feel life is slipping away from my hands.
“I am doing treatment, but many times I have relapses. I fall into self-destruction, and I live alone, locked at home. I don’t care about getting up from bed, leaving my room, and eating. I’ve had terrible addictions that have only worsened my depression and have made me suffer, not giving me the desire to share things with my family and my kids. I am saying this not to play the victim but to make everyone understand the reason for my bad decisions.
Daniel Osvaldo at Boca
“I was a top player in the past, I was a very different person, proud and with self-confidence. This is a person I don’t recognize. It costs me to open up and leave the reality that I’ve built inside my head. It’s hard to separate what’s real from what’s not real. I don’t go out alone, I don’t want to leave. I want to be the person I used to be. I don’t know how to leave this home, I don’t have a stable work, I’ve spent all my money.
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“I’ve always been a good friend, a good teammate and I hoped I’d be a good father. I say sorry to my friends and my family, to my kids and Daniela. I have to make sure I don’t fall back into addiction, and I hope that now that everyone knows what I’m going through, they’ll help me. All I ask is to go back to my old self, and nothing more.”
Some former teammates responded to Osvaldo’s Instagram post assuring him they will do what they can, but since then Osvaldo has restricted comments.
