Wilson considered taking own life during childhood

Warning: This article contains discussions of suicide and mental illness.

Callum Wilson, the striker for Newcastle United, described football as his “saviour,” after considering the possibility of taking his own life as a child.

The 33-year-old England international described his early life in detail in the High Performance Podcast, including his experiences growing up as the eldest of six siblings raised by a single father and his mother who was a victim of domestic abuse. He also shared his experiences growing up as the eldest of six children with a different father than his other siblings.

Wilson responded, “I was so young, how I stopped those thoughts. Just now, I realized that life can’t offer everything.

There was more for me, they said. Football was my real salvation, and a higher power was calling. My escape was that.

“My mother didn’t drive, so my Sunday league coach would always pick me up.” I was entering a family atmosphere with my peers when I left my home.

My instructor was fantastic. He and his family were kind enough to occasionally bring me food on the way home.

Wilson claimed that during a gym session with a Newcastle physio, he had an argument with her about a year ago that led to his decision to seek therapy.

Wilson’s mood and demeanor changed after the physio, who suggested he might need professional assistance.

Wilson, who represented England at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, “has come to the realization that when football and life are going well, you can block it out,” Wilson said.

“Over the past 18 months, I’ve had setback after setback, and it just seemed too much to suppress,” I said. I thought, “I need to seek therapy now,” and it all came to a head.

I needed professional assistance because I was going backwards and was experiencing minor changes like gambling.

“It required a little bravery to come to terms with the fact that you can speak as well as I can sometimes feel. Even talking to her alone [the therapist] was very helpful.

Wilson started out at Coventry City and played for Bournemouth in the Premier League before joining Newcastle in 2020.

His contract is scheduled to expire later this summer.