Ibrahima Konate on battle with depression after deaths of Diogo Jota and his father
· Yahoo Sports
Ibrahima Konate has opened up about how the heartbreaking death of Diogo Jota and the passing of his father plunged him into a battle with depression throughout this past season with Liverpool.
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Konate will depart Anfield this summer after five years at the club, having been unable to reach an agreement on a new deal, and is instead anticipated to join Real Madrid on a free transfer.
It proved a grueling final campaign for the 27-year-old — currently with France as they prepare for the FIFA World Cup — which began with the tragic passing of Jota last summer.
Konate and Jota played together between 2021 and 2025 -Credit:Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesJota and his brother Andre Silva lost their lives in a car crash in Spain in July, as the Portuguese forward was making his way back to Merseyside to begin pre-season training, as per the Liverpool Echo.
With Andy Robertson, who is also departing on a free transfer, and Curtis Jones having recently spoken out about Jota's death, Konate has shed further light on the devastating toll it took on the club.
"Even today it's hard to believe," he said, speaking to France Inter radio station. "His locker was still there in the dressing room, and every day when I was going to training he was coming with us.
"I remember when I found out I was in Los Angeles and I couldn't believe it. It devastated me. I didn't have any interest in anything else at that point. It was the last person anyone would have chosen this to happen to.
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"He just wanted to be happy and to have a good time with his teammates and his family. He wasn't interested in fame. He was my neighbour as well, so I shared a few more moments with him. It was something powerful that happened to all of us."
Konate continued: "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.
"I think every fan was affected by this too, and I think all that we can do to help them is by winning games. 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."
Konate was one of several Liverpool players whose performances declined during the fall, with the center-back revealing he was also dealing with his father Hamady's illness, who subsequently passed away in January.
"At the start of the season, my father was in hospital for several weeks," he said. "And actually, in my situation, 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.
During their time together at Anfield, Konate and Jota won the Premier League, FA Cup, and two Carabao Cups -Credit:John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images"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 cut short his compassionate leave to assist an injury-ravaged Liverpool side in late January. He revealed: "There was never a moment when I felt like I was on the mend.
"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.
"But then I had the support of all these fans, who are exceptional at Liverpool, my teammates and especially my family.
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"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 told myself that it happens to everyone every day, and I know that my father would have wanted me to get back."
The French defender also opened up about his recent mental health struggles, delivering a powerful message to fellow professionals in the game.
"There are low points, there's depression," he said. "And I think depression is something much deeper, it's an illness people live with every day. You can suffer from depression in football too; there's no need to be ashamed to say so. And it can be triggered by anything and everything.
"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."