Brentford forward Sergi Canos has called on more footballers to follow his and England star Raheem Sterling’s lead by raising awareness about mental health in the game.
Sterling has become a modern-day pioneer in helping football tackle racism and mental health by speaking out, while Canos has become an ambassador for the cause.
Canos is a health ambassador for Brentford’s Community Sports Trust and in his role, he is helping to raise awareness about mental health in both society and football.
As part of his work, the Spaniard recently took part in a wellbeing workshop laid on by Brentford’s psychologist, Michael Caulfield, which provided support for young people from the trust’s young carers programme who are looking after a relative.
And now Canos wants more footballers to join him and Sterling in raising awareness for an issue that can be overlooked.
“It is very important that we are next to this project and next to these people,” he said.
“They need us and they need everyone. It is good for the club, for us and to have profiles like Sterling that can get this mental health [message] better. I think it is very important.
“In the end, we are all people and we are all normal people. I don’t think I am a lot better than anyone just because I play football.
“I think everyone does their thing and everyone needs help at some point. So it is important that we are all together in this and we are all helping each other.”
Canos has taken part in community work at Brentford ever since he joined the club on loan from Liverpool back in 2015.
Mental health has always been his preferred area to work in, particularly given the fact he suffered from home sickness when he first moved from Spain to England as a teenager.
The 22-year-old admits perceptions have changed since then, but there is still more that can be done.
“It is a lot better now. When I started and when I came here when I was 18 years old, I hadn’t heard the words mental health,” Canos added.
“Now we hear it every now and then and it is good because it has always been there and it has always been an issue.
“I think now people are more aware of it. It is getting better, but there is still a lot to do.”
