Man United made me lose interest in football – Anthony

Brazilian footballer Antony Matheus dos Santos, also known as Antony has shared his emotional journey at Manchester United, revealing how his time at the club affected his mental health.

The 25-year-old winger joined Manchester United from Ajax in 2022 for £86 million but struggled to meet expectations. He scored only 12 goals and made five assists in 96 games.

After a difficult spell, he moved on loan to Spanish side Real Betis in January 2025.

Since his move, Antony has scored nine goals and is set to play in the UEFA Europa Conference League final against Chelsea.

Speaking to TNT Sports Brazil, Antony became emotional as he described his darkest moments at United.

“I went through difficult times [at Manchester United] when I no longer felt that pleasure. I even always told my brother, I told him that I couldn’t take it anymore.

“Only I know what it was like to be there at home, not having the strength to even play with my son, going days without eating, staying locked in my room,” he said.

Antony explained that joining Betis helped him rediscover himself. “[Coming to Betis] changed a lot because I needed to find myself, because of everything I went through in my personal life,” he said.

“I wasn’t happy, I didn’t feel that desire to play football, and I needed to find myself and be happy again because playing football was always something I loved,” he added.

Despite his struggles in England, Antony has become one of the top players in La Liga this year. Real Betis are eager to keep him, though they now face interest from Atletico Madrid.