Robert Enke's Depression and the Debate Over Mental Health in Football

Robert Enke, who went through the most consistent period of his career at Hannover 96, is reported to have been battling depression since 2003. Intense pressure, fear of failure, and the loss of his two-year-old daughter Lara to a heart condition in 2006 were among the most difficult periods of his life.

His wife, Teresa Enke, said that before his death he visited their daughter's grave. For a long time it was believed that the inscription on the headstone had been written by his mother, but she said this was not true and that the writing was in Enke's own handwriting. She said the headstone read "Lara, Daddy is coming!" Teresa Enke said she believed her husband never got over this pain and felt the helplessness of not being able to save her.

Enke's career at Fenerbahçe began in the summer of 2003, when he was loaned out from Barcelona. His time in Istanbul lasted only 13 days. In the first week of the 2003-04 season, the goalkeeper played in a league match against İstanbulspor. After the match he faced heavy criticism, and his contract was terminated by mutual agreement. He continued his career in Tenerife, Spain.

Before his death, Enke was a likely candidate to become Germany's first-choice goalkeeper at the 2010 World Cup. His suicide paved the way for a more open discussion of depression and mental health in football.