José María Giménez: “I was diagnosed with ADHD recently; my son too”

José María Giménez spoke with the Uruguayan Footballers’ Mutual and opened up about a personal issue: he says he has ADHD and that the diagnosis came recently. As he put it, “they diagnosed it recently,” adding that “everything became much harder,” especially “because of behavior.” He also explained that while he did “relatively well” academically, conduct problems were what he struggled with, and he asked for apologies toward the teachers who had to deal with him.

His time in the classroom

Giménez described how teachers supported him and singled out “Mariela” with special affection. He recalled that the coach/teacher gave him two notebooks: one with typical class homework and another with extra work for him, correcting the first and then moving him to the second to help him stay on track.

The diagnosis in his son

The most emotional part of his story is his family situation. “I have a son with ADHD,” he said, explaining that “they discovered it too, alongside me.” He also stated that his son is eight years old. Giménez said that hearing ADHD can be hereditary made him break down and that, before understanding it, he thought his child simply “didn’t listen.” Now he says he realizes it was how his son’s mind “works.” He added that when he talked with him, he told him: “we have to take a pill every morning” and learn to concentrate and stay calm.

Learning as part of football

In the same interview, Giménez defended studying as a way for players to make better decisions. He argues that education helps on the pitch—reasoning better and calculating situations—while also helping in daily life. He also warned that some youngsters are signing contracts very young, before they’ve matured mentally, and that schooling provides tools for what comes after football.

Source: Sport.