He shone at Anfield, fell into depression and is now playing overweight

This player made an impact at Anfield, but is now struggling with weight problems

08/11/2022, 05:39 AM +00:00

Playing for Liverpool must be for many footballers an achievement in their professional career, and playing every weekend in front of more than 50 thousand fans is unique, even being away on the field of a legendary stage is enviable, this feeling was experienced by the Slovenian player Josip Iličić, who boasted in networks a tattoo that immortalized a huge personal moment.

The ink on his skin is a tattoo of him touching the iconic "This is Anfield" sign, prior to one of the best performances of his career. On the night of 25 November 2020, Iličić opened the scoring for the Bergamo side, who returned the Reds' favour from that scandalous 4-0 scoreline in the first game between them in the Group Stage of the 20/21 season.

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That goal marked the end of eight months of obscurity for the SC Bonifika Koper-trained striker (2007). In the wake of the confinement of the Covid-19 pandemic, Iličić went through a personal rough patch in his time at Atalanta that led to depression and anxiety. His teammates and even his manager Gian Piero Gasperini were aware of his case, and it was then that they turned to professional help.

The player from 'The Balkans' immortalised through this tattoo the great moment he lived in Atalanta, and being the UEFA Champions League, the most important tournament at club level and Liverpool, who came from seasons ago as champion, made that all this caused in Iličić a sensitive and emotional closure of that painful circle of discomfort that had been dragging since his last great performance against Valencia CF (March 2020) where he scored four goals.

Iličić looking for his best

Today Josip Iličić plays in his home country for Maribor, already overweight and neglected. The world star, who at one point was rumoured to be able to play for a bigger club than Atalanta, is now a thing of the past, but bad decisions combined with the illness he faced, ended up destroying the career of one of the most important players Slovenia has produced in recent years.