Record Liverpool signing Darwin Nunez has revealed how online abuse earlier in his career made him sick, and how he eventually overcame outside pressure placed on him by fans.
The Uruguay international said he dealt with social media hate during the Under-20 World Cup in Poland. He also faced abuse during his first year at Benfica, when he struggled for consistency before enjoying a breakout campaign in 2021-22 to earn a transfer to Anfield.
Nunez spoke with national team youth assistant Axel Ocampo to improve his mental health amid his difficulties with social media.
What did Nunez say about handling social media abuse?
Liverpool's £64 million ($79m) signing said to the Mirror: “I used to look at the [social media] networks a lot - but then I saw comments that I didn’t like. They actually made me feel sick.
"The criticism started to get me down and I had to speak to the national team psychologist Axel Ocampo. He helped me a lot, but the answer was simple.
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"Now I don’t turn my cellphone on in the dressing room to read what is being said about me. I only turn my phone on after games to speak with my family and friends. I will only listen to the people who have been supportive."
Nunez's big Benfica declaration
At the height of his abuse at Benfica, Nunez posted a defiant message to Instagram vowing to get the better of his critics.
"Every time I fall, I will rise again a thousand times more and always fight," he wrote. “This is one more obstacle I’m going to overcome, I’m going to keep growing and dreaming. This too will happen!"
Sure enough, he exceeded all expectations this past term to join the ranks of Europe's most hyped young forwards. He scored 26 goals in 28 league appearances for Benfica in 2021-22 while also impressing in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, he's in Uruguay's starting line-up plans for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
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