Former Mexico Star Chatón Enríquez Opens Up on Addiction and Suicide Attempts

Jorge “Chatón” Enríquez, a London 2012 Olympic gold medalist with Mexico, has spoken candidly about the mental health and addiction struggles that cut his career short, according to an interview on El RePortero podcast with Yosgart Gutiérrez. The former midfielder, now 34, revealed he attempted suicide three times and underwent three rehabilitation processes.

Enríquez admitted that lacking the tools to deal with anxiety and frustration, he turned to alcohol, drugs, and destructive behavior, which led to conflicts with family, teammates, fans, and club executives. “I fell into the darkest sides of football… I took refuge in alcohol, women, and everything mundane,” he said.

His personal battles forced him away from the game at just 32, despite a promising career that began with Chivas and included stints at León, Santos Laguna, Puebla, as well as spells in Cyprus and Spain. His career peak came with Mexico’s Olympic triumph in 2012, but he never reached the full potential many expected.

Enríquez emphasized the importance of mental health support in professional football, acknowledging that poor decisions combined with external factors hastened his premature retirement. “Things went very badly for me… what was in my hands, I did very badly, hence the early retirement,” he reflected. Now, his story serves as a warning about the emotional challenges athletes face and the urgent need to address them before they become life-threatening.