What might trigger post-tournament blues?
Change of environment
Such as sudden isolation after being with team-mates for an extended period, weeks of hyperfocus and anticipation to nothing, and/or increased or lack of attention from traditional and digital media compared to pre-tournament.
Football performance and scheduling
Including dip in performance post-tournament, lack of consistent tournaments, and/or shift in value for player, such as difference in roles from national team to club.
Internal and external expectations
Such as expectation from family and friends to be happy, internal and external pressure to appear resilient and/or perceived lack of support by club, team-mates and family.
Post-Tournament Blues: Understanding Post-Tournament Mental Health
Post-tournament blues is the emotional drop that happens to players after a big competition, when they haven’t had the opportunity to fully process their experiences. This report looks at players' experience of post-tournament mental health.
“I remember going into my first major international tournament with so much excitement and then we were eliminated after three matches. I felt lost, confused and kept on asking myself: 'What was that?'”
— by Shannon Lynn (Scotland)
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