Sports04 June, 20263 min read
Ibrahima Konaté Says Diogo Jota And Hamady Konaté Deaths Left Him Battling Depression
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Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash last July. Konaté's father Hamady died in January after a long illness.
Konaté opens up
Ibrahima Konaté said the deaths of Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota and his father left him battling depression during his final season at the club, telling France Inter radio that "It devastated me. I didn't have any interest in anything else at that point."
“It devastated me. I didn’t have any interest in anything else at that point.”
Konaté said Jota and Jota’s brother Andre Silva died in a car crash in Spain in July 2025, and he recalled learning the news while he was in Los Angeles.
He added that his father, Hamady Konaté, died in January 2026 after a long illness, and he described being unsure whether he should go home and stop playing because "the team needed me too."
Konaté said he returned to football despite the grief, explaining that "You go back to football because you have no choice" and that he and his family had duties as employees at a club that pays them every month.
The BBC reported Konaté made 51 appearances across the 2025-26 campaign, 49 as a starter, as Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League.
Depression and stigma
Konaté pushed back against the idea that professional athletes cannot suffer because they earn high salaries, saying, "There are low points, there’s depression," and adding, "You can suffer from depression in football too; there’s no need to be ashamed to say so." He told France Inter that he had often heard players say fans or people on the outside didn’t understand because they were earning a lot of money, but said, "But no, that’s rubbish and you shouldn’t say that." The Guardian framed Konaté’s comments as part of a year of personal tragedy in which the death of Jota was followed by his father’s death, and it quoted him saying, "You can suffer from depression in football too; there’s no need to be ashamed to say so."
Konaté said depression is personal and described how it takes over the body, telling France Inter, "Depression is personal; it’s deep inside you." The Independent reported that Konaté admitted he kept his struggles private and now regrets it, while also asserting that depression is a genuine issue for athletes regardless of their financial status.
Next steps and context
Konaté said he was set to leave Liverpool after his contract expires this summer, and the BBC reported he is closing in on a move to Real Madrid after confirming he will leave Anfield this summer. He said he called then head coach Arne Slot while on compassionate leave to say he was returning to help the team during a defensive injury crisis, and ESPN reported he scored on an emotional comeback against Newcastle at Anfield. The BBC said Konaté is part of Didier Deschamps' 26-man squad for the World Cup, with Les Bleus among the favourites, and it noted his form was visibly affected in his final campaign at Anfield.
Konaté also described how he kept his feelings to himself, telling France Inter, "I didn't know who to talk to about it, so I kept it all to myself," and he urged others to speak up when they are struggling. The Times of India reported that Konaté said the support of his family, teammates, and Liverpool fans helped him keep going through a season filled with grief and emotional challenges, even as he said returning to football was not easy.