Konate Reflects on Personal Struggles During Final Liverpool Season
Ibrahima Konate, who joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig in 2021, has spoken candidly about the depression he experienced following the deaths of his teammate Diogo Jota and his father during his last season at the club.
Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva tragically died in a car accident in July last year, while Konate's father, Hamady, passed away in January after a prolonged illness.
The French international's performance noticeably declined during his final campaign at Anfield, and the 27-year-old has now shared the emotional turmoil he endured.
"There are low points, there's depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there's no need to be ashamed to say so," he told France Inter radio.
"It's true that I've often heard players say they were suffering from depression and that fans or people on the outside didn't understand because they were earning a lot of money. But no, that's rubbish and you shouldn't say that.
"Depression is personal; it's deep inside you. When you're depressed, it starts in the heart, goes up to the brain and takes over your whole body. For me, that's what's hard, and we need to talk about it."
Impact of Jota's Death and Returning to Football
Konate, who is nearing a transfer to Real Madrid following confirmation of his departure from Liverpool last week, described how the loss of Jota, who was also his neighbour during their time in Merseyside, profoundly affected him.
"It devastated me. I didn't have any interest in anything else at that point," he added.
"You go back to football because you have no choice. We're employees at a club that pays us every month, so we have duties.
"We had no choice but to go back on the field and play for him and his family – as well as ourselves. There's no way of getting over it, but you learn to live with it."
The Diogo Jota's funeral was attended by huge names from across football, including former team-mates like Konate
Balancing Grief with Professional Responsibilities
During this challenging time, Konate was also coping with the knowledge that his father was gravely ill.
"I didn't know what to do. I didn't know whether I should go home and stop playing, because the team needed me too," he said.
"I didn't know who to talk to about it, so I kept it all to myself. And this is the advice I'd give to everyone: when you're feeling down or something's going on, you need to talk to those around you.
"It can help you and do you good. I didn't talk about it and kept it to myself.
"The doctors then told us he didn't have long to live, but we didn't know it would happen so quickly."
Konate returned early from compassionate leave to assist Liverpool during an injury crisis at the end of January, but he acknowledged that his performance was never fully restored.
He made 51 appearances during the 2025-26 season, starting 49 of those matches, but was unable to consistently replicate the high level of play he had shown in his previous four seasons at Liverpool, who finished fifth in the Premier League.
International Duty and Ongoing Recovery
Konate, capped 27 times by France, is included in Didier Deschamps' 26-man squad for the World Cup, with Les Bleus considered among the favorites.
"There was never a moment when I felt like I was on the mend," he said.
"All of these tragic events happened so quickly and as soon as I felt like I was getting my head above water, something else happened.
"I had the support of all these fans, who are exceptional at Liverpool, my team-mates and especially my family but I also had to learn how to get back on my feet on my own because the team needed me more than ever and I know that my father would have wanted me to get back."
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC's Action Line.
