A former Barcelona player retires at 27 for mental health reasons: "I want to return to Manresa"

BarcelonaEric Montes, 27, has decided to say enough is enough. The former Barcelona youth player, who captained the reserve team, has announced his retirement because he wants to "stop suffering." He explained this in a public appearance this weekend after the 0-0 draw between Algeciras, his last team for the past two and a half seasons, and Villarreal B. Montes was currently playing in Primera RFEF, the third tier of Spanish football, and previously played for clubs such as Girona and Gimnàstic de Tarragona. Montes stated that he wasn't happy playing football, that going to training was a chore, and that he wants to "get an education" and "start over in Manresa," his hometown. At 27, after a serious knee injury, he explains that the recovery process was the worst time physically, but at the same time, having to stop due to the injury helped him realize that he was mentally at his best when he stopped: "When I tore my knee, it was one of the best moments of my pain. I started training."

The former footballer also explained that he had been considering taking this step since leaving Albacete in 2022, but hadn't dared because of what people might say about him. "I didn't quit before because I wondered what would become of me and I thought people would say I was a failure. When I tore my ACL, it clicked," the Manresa native explained. He is determined to leave professional football so he can return home to Manresa: "I want to be home. I don't want to suffer anymore." He's leaving the demands of professional football because it didn't make him happy, but he doesn't regret it: "I've been playing since I was four. Football has given me many wonderful things, but I don't want to suffer anymore. I want to enjoy football again with enthusiasm, like a kid in the playground."

He expressed his gratitude for the support he received and his time in Algeciras, his last club.

On Monday, he published a statement on social media thanking everyone for the support he had received since announcing his retirement, as well as the excellent treatment he received from Algeciras, the club that renewed his contract despite his serious knee injury. "I am happy, excited, and full of energy to start a new life from scratch, away from the demanding world of professional football. From today onward, all I want for myself is to feel excited, to be happy, and to have energy when I wake up," he explained.

Montes arrived at Barça's youth academy from Gimnàstic Manresa in 2006, playing for the youngest age group, and remained a Barça player until the youth level, where he even captained the team. final four He won the Youth League in 2017, before moving to Girona and then on loan to Peralada. His career continued at Cultural Leonesa, Albacete, and Nàstic, before arriving at Algeciras, his last club, where he has made his mark.