Tyrone Mings might look so happy whenever he steps up to play for Premier League side Aston Villa but he struggled with mental health issues during the build-up to Euro 2020.
The 28-year-old English center-back was so good that he was selected to represent England in the just-concluded European Championship even though he was not playing for a top club in Europe. The criticism he got during the build-up to the tournament got to him so badly that it affected his mental health.
Hence, to give England his very best during the European Championship and to ensure that external forces don’t influence him during the tournament, he had to employ the services of a psychologist.
Tyrone Mings decided to make this investment because he felt his mental health plummeted ahead of the tournament. According to him, his mental health got worsened because he felt over 90 percent of the fans of the Three Lions of England weren’t sure of his ability.
In the build-up to the tournament, most fans of the team and pundits argued against his inclusion in coach Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad because they thought he did not have enough experience to be a part of the squad. After all, he was not playing for a top club.
Their arguments against Tyrone Mings did not stop coach Gareth Southgate from inviting him to the team. He went on to make three appearances in the tournament as he was used as a cover-up for injured Harry Maguire in England’s first two group games against Croatia and Scotland.
In an interview with The Sun, Mings admitted that he struggled in the country’s first Euro 2020 game against Croatia due to his worsening mental health. He however noted that he got stronger afterward.
He said: “I did have a tough time in the lead-up to the opening game against Croatia.
“I think I’m a lot more hardened to outside influences now, but my mental health did plummet. And I have no shame in admitting that because there were so many unknowns about me going to that game.
“I was probably the only name on the teamsheet that people thought, ‘Not sure about him’. And that was something I had to overcome.
“When 90-95 percent of your country are having doubts over you, it’s very difficult to stop this intruding on your own thoughts.
“So I did a lot of work on that with my psychologist. I was given a lot of coping mechanisms – whether it was breathing, meditation, or just learning how to bring yourself into the present moment. To stop letting your subconscious take over.
“It was hard. I didn’t really sleep very well before that first game.”
Tyrone Mings made his debut for the Three Lions of England on October 14, 2019. Since then, he has made 13 appearances.
The 28-year-old England international has been playing for Aston Villa since January 31, 2019. His contract with the Premier League club will expire on June 30, 2024.
We’re all here for you king @OfficialTM_3 💜💙 pic.twitter.com/YuvwignXkW
— Aston🏴🍻 (@AVFC_Aston) August 2, 2021
