The pressure at Real Madrid: "I got to the point of being afraid to go out on the street"

Former Real Madrid player Fernando Sanz recalls the extreme psychological toll of playing for the club, including fear of leaving his house due to constant public abuse.

Fernando Sanz, who played for Real Madrid when his father Lorenzo Sanz was club president in the late 1990s and early 2000s, has opened up about the intense pressure of playing for the Spanish giants. Speaking on the podcast Charlas Futboleras, Sanz described the psychological strain he endured, with thousands of supporters attending training sessions solely to insult and jeer him.

Sanz revealed that the pressure became so severe he feared leaving his home, worried about confrontations with hostile members of the public. He also highlighted the role of aggressive sports media, particularly radio programmes, which he said continuously published damaging articles about him. He noted that his father, as club president, would have to manage relationships with rival radio shows that aired at the same time each evening.

Reflecting on the lack of mental health support available at the time, Sanz explained that seeking help from a psychologist was stigmatised and seen as a sign of weakness. He had to cope with his struggles alone, contrasting sharply with the psychological support systems now available to modern players.