Former West Ham United striker Marko Arnautovic acknowledges that he ‘fell into a depression’ following a move to China which coincided with the global Covid pandemic in 2020.
Earlier this week, the agent and brother of the 37-year-old Austria international opened up on the difficulties Arnautovic faced in the Far East.
Following that controversial £22 million move from West Ham United to Shanghai SIPG in 2019, he would spend much of his time in China stuck in an apartment; isolated miles away from home, and denied even the luxury of fresh air as the nation pursued a gruelling ‘zero-COVID’ strategy.
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Understandably, this took its toll on Marko Arnautovic’s mental health.
Former West Ham United striker Marko Arnautovic reflects on China stint
Speaking to Aca Stojanovic on his ALESTO podcast, Arnautovic looked back on the most difficult spell in his career while imparting advice for anyone finding themselves in a similar situation.
“Back then, someone who truly fascinated me was Bojan Krkic,” Arnautovic says of his former Stoke City teammate. “Today, he’s my friend, I look at him like a brother. [Bojan was] always in the gym, always knew exactly what he was eating. He wouldn’t eat at 1pm, he had to eat at 12:45!
“He read books, you know, searching for that inner peace. As for me, reading a book? No way, brother! Let me just sit with my friends or family, talk, watch TV, and joke around. What do you mean, a book?!
“But looking back at it now, because of all that stress…
“I actually spoke about this in an interview I did, how I fell into a depression when I was in China. And honestly, I don’t even know how I got out of it. I always have to point this out, but it was without pills, without anything, I never used anything. I just don’t know…”
“That’s it, you have to talk. You choose who you talk to, but you have to talk. You can’t keep it to yourself. That’s what I did. When you keep it all to yourself, you lose, 100 per cent.
“I tell everyone that. I know a lot of people who have dealt with depression too. I tell them, ‘Brother, talk. Talk, believe me. When you talk, it will be easier for you’.
“But I also understand that people with depression often don’t want to talk. Maybe they are afraid of what they might tell you. But once you get over this fear and start talking to just one person, I believe it will get easier for you.”
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Austria record-breaker is set to play in his first ever World Cup
Still going strong at Red Star Belgrade, Arnautovic heads to the 2026 World Cup as Austria’s all-time record goalscorer. Despite featuring three times at the European Championships, this will be the veteran’s first ever foray onto football’s greatest stage.
“When I was a kid, I didn’t really know or think about where I was going to be at 37,” adds the one-time Inter Milan, Bologna and FC Twente ace. “But I always wanted to play at the top and I always wanted to have a good career.
“In the end, I still say that I didn’t get the absolute maximum out of my career. I can say that 100 per cent. I think if I had changed certain things, I could have done better, and my career would be even bigger. That’s what I think.
“[But] in the end, I don’t want to speak badly of my career. Absolutely not. I’m happy with it, but I still think that I could have done even more.”
Interestingly, his agent would also confirm that Arnautovic received an offer from Antonio Conte’s Chelsea shortly before leaving Stoke for West Ham.
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