Loneliness and lack of belonging: The experiences of migrant professional footballers playing in Europe

Abstract

At particular moments in our life, one may be susceptible to feelings of loneliness. This may be more evident in professions where individuals need to move away from family and friends for work reasons. Sports professionals not only have to make such a move overseas at times, but they are also often placed in a highly competitive and pressurized environment which may bring about several challenges, including loneliness. This qualitative study sought to explore the experiences of loneliness and lack of belonging of ten migrant male and female footballers. Semi-structured interviews were utilised and data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the players experienced loneliness during their migratory experience mainly because they were away from family and friends. Loneliness was associated with unpleasant feelings, and a lack of belonging and this affected their performance. Players engaged in several coping strategies to deal with their loneliness. This study shows the need for culturally competent support structures and specific integration programmes within club settings as players did not have access to sports psychologists or counsellors within their club. Educating significant others in the player's life on the challenges that players may face may also be a point of consideration.