LIVERPOOL — Ibrahima Konaté, a professional footballer, discussed grief and depression during a radio interview while preparing for the World Cup with the French national team. He detailed his emotional struggles and the impact of the death of his former teammate, Diogo Jota.
Jota died in a car accident in July 2025 in Zamora, Spain, at 28 years old. His brother, André Silva, 26, also died in the same accident. Konaté and Jota had been teammates for four seasons at Liverpool FC, and Konaté learned of Jota's death while in Los Angeles.
Liverpool FC resumed playing 10 days after Jota's death. Konaté reflected on his reaction to the death, saying, "Even today it's hard to believe. His locker was still there in the dressing room, and every day when I was going to training he was coming with us. I remember when I found out when I was in Los Angeles and I couldn't believe it."
Konaté also discussed personal loss, as his father, Hamady, was hospitalized for several weeks at the start of the 2025-26 season. Doctors informed the family that his father did not have long to live, and his father died in January. Konaté returned from compassionate leave at the end of January. During the 2025-26 season, Konaté made 51 appearances for Liverpool, starting 49 matches as Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League.
Konaté addressed the topic of depression directly. He said, "There are low points, there's depression. You can suffer from depression in football too; there's no need to be ashamed to say so."