FC Barcelona and its Foundation have presented a Comprehensive Mental Health Plan for children, young people and adult athletes — a pioneering initiative at European level that places mental health at the center of emotional well-being and sports performance. The presentation event took place this Thursday at the 1899 Auditorium at Spotify Camp Nou, with the presence of the Club’s acting president, Rafael Yuste, the head of the Club’s Medical Services, Dr. Xavier Corbella, and the general director of the FC Barcelona Foundation, Dr. Marta Segú.
The event also included a roundtable discussion featuring FC Barcelona representatives Dr. Xavier Corbella and Dr. Marta Segú, Dr. Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga, head of the Psychiatry Department at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona and representative of the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute, F. Javier Romeo from Espirales Child Consultancy and Sergio Lozano, former player and member of the FC Barcelona futsal technical staff.
During the event, a video of former FC Barcelona player Andrés Iniesta was also shown.
The Comprehensive Plan was created in response to a growing reality in elite sport: the impact of emotional, psychological and social factors on athletes’ health and performance. It is led by the Foundation, the Club’s Medical Services, and the Compliance and Legal department of FC Barcelona, in collaboration with Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and Espirales Child Consultancy.
FC Barcelona aims to help break deeply rooted beliefs in sports culture, such as the idea that having mental health problems is a sign of weakness, and to promote a new perspective that understands the athlete as a whole person — with body, mind, and emotions.
Initially, the plan aims to protect the mental health of more than 700 boys, girls and adolescents who are part of FC Barcelona’s youth teams and train weekly at its facilities. In a second phase, this model will be extended to all sports categories, including professional athletes.
A comprehensive model based on prevention, detection and support
In this first phase, focused on underage athletes, the plan is structured following the Club’s Child Protection System, in operation since 2022, which incorporates protocols for prevention, early detection, referral to specialized services, and support.
This system enables coordinated action, allowing coaches, medical staff and Club professionals to identify risk situations and activate the necessary support mechanisms.
The initiative is based on a comprehensive concept of mental health, aligned with World Health Organization criteria, which define it as a state of overall well-being. In this sense, the program adopts a biopsychosocial approach, considering the interaction between biological, psychological and social factors — especially relevant in sports, where competitive pressure, expectations, injury risk or media exposure can create stress or vulnerability.
The plan also focuses on training the Club’s professionals, equipping them with tools to recognize warning signs, build trust with athletes to facilitate support, and ensure proper referral to specialized teams when necessary.
Changing sports culture to better protect athletes
With this position, the Club seeks to transform sports culture by promoting safe, inclusive and protective environments and combating the stigma associated with mental health problems.
High-performance athletes often face factors such as self-demand, pressure to maintain performance, fear of injury or failing to meet expectations, and constant competition. Without proper support, these factors can affect mental health, overall well-being and sports performance.
In this regard, the Club emphasizes that sporting excellence is compatible with emotional support and that mental well-being is, in fact, a key component in achieving maximum performance.
Collaboration with specialized entities and scientific research
The plan includes guidance from Espirales Child Consultancy to integrate the mental health perspective into the child protection system, as well as scientific support from Vall d’Hebron University Hospital. The Foundation will work jointly with the hospital to identify the most prevalent mental health disorders in sports and to develop early detection tools and referral systems for specialized services.
This collaboration will also include research projects to improve knowledge about mental health in elite sports and to contribute to the development of new prevention, detection and support strategies.
A strategic commitment with global impact
With this Comprehensive Mental Health Plan, FC Barcelona reaffirms its commitment to the overall well-being of its athletes and positions itself as a leading organization in promoting mental health in sports.
The Club is committed to regularly evaluating the program and implementing improvements to ensure the protection and personal and athletic development of its players. At the same time, its aim is to generate a positive impact on society as a whole, as elite athletes are important role models for children and young people worldwide.