Liverpool legend breaks down in tears after brave suicide admission as he opens up on mental health struggles after retirement: 'I miss everything about playing'

Former Liverpool star Jason McAteer has emotionally opened up his mental health struggles since retiring from football, bravely sharing how he almost took his own life.

McAteer, 53, played 100 games for Liverpool during a storied career which also saw him star for Bolton, Blackburn, Sunderland and Tranmere before hanging up his boots in 2007.

The ex-Republic of Ireland international has battled with depression and suicidal thoughts following his retirement, struggling to adapt to his new life which no longer revolves around playing the beautiful game.

McAteer, who now in his own words works 'sporadically' as a pundit, broke down in tears while bravely opening up to former Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre on beIN Sports' Tales, Tears and Trophies podcast this week.

The Reds legend shared how nearly took his own life by intentionally crashing his car, admitting that he was 'fighting himself not to do it' while on his way to pick up his son Harry.

The emotional memory reduced McAteer to tears as he powerfully opened up on his mental health struggles.

Jason McAteer has bravely opened up his mental health struggles since retiring from football

The ex-Liverpool star (left) retired from football in 2007 and has struggled to adapt to a new life

The former footballer shared how nearly took his own life by intentionally crashing his car

'I just had no purpose, no structure,' McAteer said. 'The TV stuff, I wasn't working every day of the week, it would be maybe one or two shows a week. It was very sporadic. Days and days and days with nothing to do.

'I got to the tunnel, between the Wirral and Liverpool, because my child that I was keeping this relationship with under difficult circumstances lived the other side of this tunnel.

'I was driving through the tunnel and it upsets me this because it takes me back to this moment and I can feel it, and as you go out the daylight into the tunnel light, I remember thinking to myself, I could just swing the car here and just end it. That's how easy it is. And I was fighting myself not to do it.

'I was fighting, "Do it, do it, do it, do it". And I'd be like, "No, no". And I'd be fighting the steering wheel. And I remember coming towards the end of the tunnel and the daylight was opening up, and coming out the tunnel I was thinking, "Thank God, just thank God.

'I went to get my boy and took him to pitches, and I drove home and got to my mum's house, she lived 10 minutes round the corner. I knocked on her door and I remember just saying, "I can't do it anymore. That's it, just at that point". It was tough.

'Everything had gone. I don't half miss it. I miss everything about playing. Just running out, free on a footy pitch. No problems. I need to sort myself out here. Nothing in life is a problem for that 90 minutes. It's just the best, it's just the best.'

McAteer, who also opened up on his battle with depression in his 2017 autobiography Blood, Sweat & Jason McAteer, continued by urging governing bodies to support retired players more as they adapt to a new life without football.

He added: 'The evolution of football, not just football on the pitch and the business side of things, but the mental side of it as well. It has to improve.

McAteer, who appears on LFC TV (above) and beIN Sports, admitted that work as a football pundit has been 'sporadic' since his retirement and that he 'misses everything about playing'

He spoke to ex-Man United defender Mikael Silvestre on the Tales, Tears and Trophies podcast

McAteer pictured in 2016 with his second wife Lucy Edwards, who married in October 2013

'It is slowly but surely getting there and the stigma is being broken down, but I think people find it difficult to understand the void that is actually left and where it can take you mentally.

'I don't think it is catered for enough by football federations and it needs to be addressed, to be honest.'

For support call Samaritans on 116123 in the UK or visit www.samaritans.org or www.thecalmzone.net/get-support, or call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on 988 in the US.

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