Inter, Gosens: “The head is everything in sport”

“I believe that leaving your comfort zone goes hand in hand with growing and developing as a person.” Word of Robin Gosens and it is an authoritative opinion, since he will soon complete his studies in psychology. The German full-back spoke about it, also referring to his transfer from Atalanta to Inter, in the interview given to the official UEFA channels: “If you think you’re exactly where you want to be, you don’t need anything else and you’re extremely happy, you may not need to leave your comfort zone. But, personally, I had ambitions to get the most out of my career. I felt I could play at a bigger club than Atalanta. So stepping out of my zone comfort, I will find out if I was right to think so or if Atalanta was instead my pinnacle. I would recommend taking this step out of the comfort zone to anyone who wants to experience something new or who feels they are missing something to be complete.” .

GRADUATING

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The university course is now winding down, Gosens is completing the drafting of the thesis. “We are in the final stages, I have some details to sort out. Then I should have my degree in my pocket, as long as the professor approves” he continued. For an athlete, the mental aspect is of primary importance: “What happens in our heads is fundamental when it comes to performance, psychology is essential for an industry that can be extremely intense. There is still a long way to go, between players is still a taboo and not everyone feels like opening up completely. When I have problems like this, I still have the impression that many perceive it as a weakness. You don’t open up. There has to get to a point where such a gesture is considered an act of force, because one has the certainty of talking about the things that are not right”.

FUTURE

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The interest in this subject arises from personal experiences in the locker room. “I was wondering what happened to my teammates if they didn’t train well and through this curiosity I approached this sector. With my studies I began to notice that the more I deal with it, the more I help my mind. We always have negative thoughts and we have to overcome the barriers. The way we deal with these barriers is the key to success in sport at this level. I’ve learned a lot about myself,” said the Inter player. The idea of ​​launching into the profession at the end of his competitive career is currently not contemplated: “I’m still a long way from being a practicing psychologist and I wouldn’t want to do it professionally. But I want to help people who feel so much pressure, who suffer for mental health issues and they get stuck. It’s an interesting combination because, on the one hand, you know what it’s like to handle that pressure because you were a professional athlete yourself, and, on the other hand, you have the basis of your academic studies.” .