Léo Scienza, Southampton midfielder, described playing in England's Championship as "a bloodbath" and one of the toughest leagues in the world.
The 27-year-old Brazilian spoke candidly about his life-changing experiences that led him to join the Premier League club from Germany's Bundesliga side Heidenheim last summer for £8m.
Scienza's father died when he was 20, prompting a two-month depressive spell during which he considered ending his life. The loss had no meaning in his life at the time.
"I wasn't afraid of anything anymore," Scienza recalled, recalling his desperate situation. "I went to Sweden with all positivity and dreams but everything was wrong."
The young footballer played in Sweden's fifth tier for a short spell before being convinced by unscrupulous agents that he would get a chance at a top-tier club.
Instead, Scienza found himself playing at Fanna, 80km north of Stockholm. "It was shit," he said about the experience, which left him feeling depressed and broke after issues with his salary and accommodation.
However, despite these challenges, Scienza discovered that playing football helped him cope with depression. In Sweden, he scored 10 goals for a team in the lower divisions and eventually earned a move to Magdeburg's second tier.
After dropping through the divisions, the star midfielder found success at Ulm in the third tier, where his efforts led to an offer from Heidenheim. A remarkable goal that secured promotion kept Southampton interested, leading them to sign Scienza.
Now playing for Southampton, Scienza acknowledges it is a challenging league but has adapted well. "There are two or three players on you all the time," he joked about the physicality of the Championship.
Scienza's journey is an inspiring story of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity. The midfielder says that finding support through psychology has helped him understand life better, accepting things as they come rather than trying to control them.
While his career path remains uncertain, Scienza expressed a desire to play for Brazil's national team one day, though he knows it's an ambitious goal at this stage.
The 27-year-old Brazilian spoke candidly about his life-changing experiences that led him to join the Premier League club from Germany's Bundesliga side Heidenheim last summer for £8m.
Scienza's father died when he was 20, prompting a two-month depressive spell during which he considered ending his life. The loss had no meaning in his life at the time.
"I wasn't afraid of anything anymore," Scienza recalled, recalling his desperate situation. "I went to Sweden with all positivity and dreams but everything was wrong."
The young footballer played in Sweden's fifth tier for a short spell before being convinced by unscrupulous agents that he would get a chance at a top-tier club.
Instead, Scienza found himself playing at Fanna, 80km north of Stockholm. "It was shit," he said about the experience, which left him feeling depressed and broke after issues with his salary and accommodation.
However, despite these challenges, Scienza discovered that playing football helped him cope with depression. In Sweden, he scored 10 goals for a team in the lower divisions and eventually earned a move to Magdeburg's second tier.
After dropping through the divisions, the star midfielder found success at Ulm in the third tier, where his efforts led to an offer from Heidenheim. A remarkable goal that secured promotion kept Southampton interested, leading them to sign Scienza.
Now playing for Southampton, Scienza acknowledges it is a challenging league but has adapted well. "There are two or three players on you all the time," he joked about the physicality of the Championship.
Scienza's journey is an inspiring story of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity. The midfielder says that finding support through psychology has helped him understand life better, accepting things as they come rather than trying to control them.
While his career path remains uncertain, Scienza expressed a desire to play for Brazil's national team one day, though he knows it's an ambitious goal at this stage.
that dude was down like low, u know? Losin his dad when he was 20 & go thru a depressive spell where he thought 'bout endin' his life... 80km north of Stockholm playin at Fanna, it's like he didn't even got nothin left. But then he found football again, scored goals, started playin good, & now he's at Southampton, man 
it's a whole different story.
... I mean Léo Scienza's story is pretty crazy, right? Playing in lower divisions and stuff was like a nightmare for him 
. But you know what's crazy? He found his passion again through football and turned it around 
. I wish more people could learn from his experience 
. Now, I don't know if England's Championship is a bloodbath or not 
, but Léo definitely proved himself against all odds 
.
. He's proof that with the right mindset and support, anything is possible 
!
. I mean, going through depression and feeling like you've lost everything is crazy hard to imagine... but he made it through and now he's playing for one of the best teams in England 
. And to think he was once playing at a lower tier in Sweden, it's like he's come full circle 
. I love how humble he is too, joking about the Championship being a "bloodbath" 
. He's living proof that with hard work and support, you can overcome anything 
. Can't wait to see what he does next... maybe even play for Brazil? 
. And poor dude went through depression after his dad died... I feel bad for him but what can you do? He found football to be his coping mechanism which is awesome, but it's also kinda sad that he had to go through all that trauma in the first place 
.
. I'm glad to hear he found solace in football and that it helped him cope with depression 
. Fingers crossed he achieves his dream of playing for Brazil one day! 
i mean sure the championship is tough but leo's got the determination to make it work 
playing football can be physically and emotionally draining, but leo scienza's story is really inspiring 
he went through some dark times after his dad passed away and struggled with depression, but found a way to cope through sports 
anyway, i'm so glad leo's found success at southampton and is now thriving in the championship 
I'm literally obsessed with Léo Scienza rn! 
️
I'm shipping him to Brazil's national team ASAP 
. Léo Scienza's story is like that - after losing his dad and feeling lost in Sweden, he had to swallow his pride and face the harsh reality of the lower divisions. But instead of giving up, he found solace in football and used it as a means to cope with his depression. His journey teaches us to be humble and adaptable - no matter how tough things get, we can always find ways to rise above 
.
.
. And now he's thriving, not just on the pitch but also as a person. He's all about perspective and accepting things as they come... it's like, so relatable 
.
. It's not always easy to talk about these things, especially when you're under pressure from fans and media 
. But it takes a lot of courage to share your story and help others who might be going through similar experiences 
.
? His journey is truly inspiring, and I'm rooting for him all the way 
.
.
But for real tho, his journey to Southampton is a testament to how far he's come, especially with overcoming depression 
. And 10 goals in the lower divisions? 
Talk about grinding 
! 