Former professional footballers are more likely than other parts of the population to suffer from depression, World Footballers' Association FIFPro says.
The research conducted by FIFPro's chief medical officer, Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, found 26 per cent of active professional footballers suffer from depression or anxiety, which increased to 39 per cent of cases studied among retired players.
"Contrary to popular belief, the life of a professional footballer has some dark sides," said Gouttebarge.
"Former professional footballers report more mental health problems than current players, endorsing that the period just after retirement from professional football is a critical one for many players.
"We found mental illness among former professional footballers occurs more often than in other measured populations."
The research was based on a study of over 300 active and former professional players from six countries around the world.
