Swiss captain and Arsenal midfielder Lia Wälti announces an indefinite break from football due to personal reasons and mental challenges.
Swiss captain and Arsenal midfielder Lia Wälti has revealed she will take an indefinite break from football due to personal reasons.
Mental struggles in recent months
Wälti shared her decision on Instagram, stating that the last few months had been mentally challenging for her.
The 29-year-old expressed her hope to recover and regain her focus on the sport.
Wälti wrote, “For personal reasons, the last weeks and months have been difficult, and mentally and psychologically exhausting.
“It has been a huge challenge to maintain the focus and trying to perform on my “usual level” every day.
“Therefore, I have asked my club and the national team for a short personal break. I left nationalteam today and will take some time off and try to focus on my wellbeing and will, hopefully, come back recovered and with my batteries recharged.
“I wish my team a successful game against Iceland!”
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Swiss captain ahead of World Cup
Since 2019, Wälti has been the captain of the Swiss national team.
In just over three months, the team will participate in the football World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Switzerland are in the same group as New Zealand, Norway, and the Philippines.