Former Inter defender Andrea Ranocchia has spoken about the pressures of football and the importance of psychological support, saying athletes should seek help before problems become overwhelming.
Ranocchia, who founded Athletics Mind to provide psychological and nutritional support, said he did not discover sports psychology until he was 29 or 30.
“Athletics Mind was born from my direct experience on the pitch,” he said. “If I had been aware of it earlier, I probably would have faced many situations differently.”
He said players encounter different challenges at every age and that many young footballers become lost without the right support.
Ranocchia believes psychological care should be treated like coaching for the technical, tactical and physical sides of the game.
“It is deeply wrong to believe that you only go to a psychologist when you are unwell,” he said. “You go to face the moments in life when you do not have the necessary tools to make it on your own.”
Athletics Mind also offers nutritional guidance. Specialists create programmes based on an athlete’s age, sport and individual needs, with Ranocchia insisting that diet must complement psychological support and work on the pitch.
The former Italy defender also discussed his podcast, Frog Talks, where former team-mates have spoken about the less visible challenges of professional football.
“Even those who have become champions had to face moments of crisis and great difficulties,” he said. “Being able to tell their path, with all the obstacles they overcame, is fundamental to allow young people to approach these realities knowing that the challenges are the same for everyone.”
Ranocchia recalled an incident at a training camp when Luciano Spalletti defended him after he was insulted by a supporter. He said a manager’s attitude towards players was more important than ever.
“The coach is, in fact, the team’s first psychologist,” Ranocchia said. He added that great managers understood “the person behind the footballer” and that players faced difficulties from the age of six through to retirement.
His time with Hull City in England helped him recover from the pressure he had experienced in Italy. Ranocchia said football was still intense in England, but the media and supporters were less likely to create an atmosphere of constant hostility after matches.
“That experience recharged me because it allowed me to find myself and the right balance to experience football,” he said.
His first significant experience of professional psychological support came at Inter, where the club provided a psychologist.
“I decided to try and immediately felt very comfortable,” he said. “In the worst-case scenario, nothing happens, but in the best-case scenario, it helps you enormously, improving your quality of life and, consequently, your sporting performances.”
Ranocchia retired relatively young after losing his motivation. He said the decision was easier to accept because it was personal and deliberate, while players forced to stop by injury or other circumstances could struggle much more.
He later returned to live in Assisi, where he had always planned to raise his children close to his roots and childhood friends.
On Italy, Ranocchia said Roberto Mancini had shown he could do a good job and that recent matches had offered encouragement. However, he said rebuilding a squad capable of challenging France, England, Spain and Portugal would take years, particularly after Italy had missed three World Cups.
Finally, Ranocchia said he did not currently see a genuine Serie A rival capable of competing with Inter for the Scudetto until the final day, although he acknowledged that football remained unpredictable.