Everton's Thierno Barry on the emotional video he was scared to post
Everton footballer Thierno Barry shared a vulnerable video of himself crying during a training session to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health in professional sports. The video sparked a positive conversation about emotional resilience and authenticity in a high-pressure industry.
Why it matters
It highlights the shifting cultural norms regarding mental health and vulnerability among elite athletes.
Image caption, Everton player Thierno Barry says it took him three weeks to post a video that showed him breaking down in tears
It's not a sight you often, if ever, see from a top-flight footballer.
Keeping calm under pressure comes with the job description, but there's a sense it's what's expected from fans and team-mates.
So when Everton striker Thierno Barry posted a video last month , external of him breaking down during a private training session, it sparked conversation around showing emotion in an industry where revealing any sort of vulnerability can be a risk.
BBC Newsbeat met the French footballer at the club's training ground to find out why he chose to show the raw moment - and how he's using it to drive forward.
"And I said: 'No, I just need to show myself'," says Barry of the video released on his YouTube channel last month.
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