10 Footballers Who Tragically Died by Suicide

Football is often seen as a sport of passion, triumph, and glory. However, behind the scenes, many players struggle with personal battles that sometimes lead to tragic endings. 

Mental health challenges, depression, and external pressures have led several footballers to take their own lives.

Over the years, steps have been taken to promote positive conversations around mental wellbeing, as well as highlighting the work carried out in communities and to support footballers  with their mental health, which has in turn, reduced the number of cases where many have had to take their lives away.

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Regardless, some gifted footballers have unfortunately still taken their lives away for different reasons.

Pulse Sports profiles 10 footballers who tragically died by suicide.

Robert Enke was a German goalkeeper who played for clubs like Borussia Mönchengladbach, Benfica, Barcelona and Hannover 96.Internationally, he won eight caps for Germany, and was part of the side that finished runners up in the 2008 Euros.

Enke  had a daughter, Lara, who was born with a heart birth defect, but the drugs she used to treat her condition created complications, which ended up turning her deaf.

Her cochlear implant surgery to correct the problem was successful but she died in 2006 due to complications of her heart defects.

Although the couple adopted another baby, Leila in 2009, the loss of his biological daughter exacerbated him, and on November 10, 2009, he tragically ended his life by stepping in front of a train.

Dale Roberts was an English goalkeeper who played for Rushden & Diamonds. His career was promising, but personal struggles took a toll. 

In 2010, Roberts died by hanging himself at home, reportedly due to emotional distress following revelations about his fiancée Lindsey Cowan’s affair with  teammate Paul Terry, 32, brother of Chelsea legend John, in May 2010.

On the evening of her fiancee's death, Miss Cowan said she came home to find a final message from Mr Roberts written on the whiteboard in their kitchen.

It said: 'I love Lindsey Elizabeth Cowan very very much, she is the love of my life.'

Mr Roberts, who also played for the semi-professional national team England C, had become withdrawn after an injury and begun taking anti-depressants, which left him 'lethargic' and 'lacking motivation'.

A German defender, Andreas Biermann played for clubs like Hertha BSC. He was open about his struggles with depression and even advocated for mental health awareness in football. 

The former St Pauli stopper, 33 at the time of his death, made his struggles public after the death of Robert Enke in 2009.

Despite seeking help, he tragically took his own life on July 18, 2014, at the age of 33.

Biermann was one of only a few footballers to respond to the suicide of the former Germany international goalkeeper by going public with his own problems.

After seeking professional help he wrote a book -- Rote Karte Depression ['Show depression the red card'] -- about the illness.

However, his decision to go public about his illness appeared to cause fresh problems. He was not offered a new contract by Union Berlin and was unable to find another club willing to employ him.

The stigmas attached to depression continue to thrive, he wrote in his book, and that is why nobody was willing to offer him work.

David Bystron was a Czech footballer who played for clubs like Baník Ostrava and Levski Sofia. His career was overshadowed by personal struggles, and in 2017, he tragically ended his life.

Bystron's dead body was found at the basement of his house, next to a farewell letter.

His footballing downhill started on January 3, 2012, when he began serving a two-year sanction after having tested positive for methamphetamine in a Champions League game against BATE Borisov.

Viktoria rescinded his contract and Bystron reappeared in 2014 for Sigma Olomouc, before spells at lower categories with Linth and Schluein Ilanz.

Gary Speed was a Welsh football legend, known for his time at Leeds United, Newcastle United, and Everton. He was also the manager of the Wales national team. 

In November 2011, Speed was found hanged in his garage, shocking the football world.

Davies began his career at Manchester United before moving to Newcastle United, Charlton Athletic, and Swansea City.

On February 4, 1992, the 30-year-old was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in his car—just after dropping off his daughter at school. Later that year, Swansea and Manchester United held a testimonial in his honor at Vetch Field.

Justin Fashanu broke ground as the first openly gay professional footballer. His £1 million transfer to Nottingham Forest in 1981 made headlines—but his career and personal life were often overshadowed by tabloid scrutiny and societal discrimination.

After being accused (but never tried or convicted) of sexual assault in the United States, Fashanu returned to the UK. On May 2, 1998, he was found dead in a garage in London. His suicide note detailed his lifelong struggle with identity, rejection, and public pressure.

One of the greatest forwards of the 1920s and 30s, Gallacher starred for Newcastle United and Chelsea. But life after football was marred by financial hardship and personal tragedy.

After a domestic dispute in 1957, Gallacher faced criminal charges and was overwhelmed by the looming court appearance and public scrutiny. On June 11, 1957, the day before his court hearing, he stepped in front of a train in Gateshead.

Mutale, a Zambian striker who played in Saudi Arabia, was part of the national team’s golden generation. While not a suicide, his tragic death in a 1993 plane crash alongside 17 teammates highlights how the football world has seen entire lives and careers cut short far too early.

(Although Mutale didn’t die by suicide, his story is often mistakenly grouped in with personal tragedies, underlining the need for clarity when discussing football’s darkest chapters.)

Carlos José Castilho, born in Rio de Janeiro in 1927, was a legendary Fluminense goalkeeper known for his incredible reflexes and uncanny good fortune. He represented Brazil in four World Cups (1950–1962), playing three matches in 1954.

After retiring in 1964, Castilho transitioned to coaching but silently battled depression. On 5 February 1987, at age 59, he died by suicide. His death served as a poignant reminder that mental health struggles can persist long after the final whistle.

These ten heartbreaking stories remind us that mental health must remain a priority in sport. While football is a source of joy for millions, the well-being of its players—past, present, and future—must never be sidelined.

 More open conversations, better support structures, and less stigma can make all the difference.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek help. You're not alone.