Exploring perceptions of loneliness amongst the migrant professional athletes’ community

Abstract

Loneliness is a growing phenomenon, and a complex, multidimensional and subjective feeling; its prevalence has been seen across a wide range of populations (Tzouvara et al., 2015). This study sought to investigate whether professional footballers who have migrated for sports reasons, experience loneliness and if so, to what extent. A qualitative approach was employed to gather in-depth findings. Five players, (one male and four females) from the small island of Malta who migrated within Europe itself and another five male players who moved from Asia and South America to Europe (Malta) participated in this study through semi-structured interviews. The participants’ average age was 26.7 years. The findings from this study clearly indicate that during their migratory transition, the participants experienced loneliness. This was mainly attributed to being away from one’s family and friends. The participants perceived loneliness and associated it with a high level of unpleasant feelings, such as dissatisfaction, unhappiness, boredom, and depression. This study highlighted that preparation for the migratory transition may have been lacking among the participants, and acculturation, language and climate challenges were very much encountered by the participants similar to that reported by Muscat et al., (2020). The findings indicate that as a consequence of loneliness, the participants could be affected mentally and physically and underperformed as a result. However, participants referred to using mental skills and the use of technological platforms as means for communicating and coping with loneliness. The findings indicate that the urge for physical contact with their family and friends remained absolute. Further research on support structures present in clubs and associations worldwide and how clubs can specifically integrate their migrant athletes within the community are recommended.