Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has admitted that he has been unable to overcome his addiction to smoking.
Despite his struggles, he is now urging young people to avoid taking up the habit.
Szczesny, who previously played for Juventus and Arsenal, revealed in an interview with ESPN that he began smoking at a young age and has been unable to quit.
He said, via GOAL, “There are some parts of the game where I believe I can be a perfect example for young people or, in fact, for my team-mates.
“And there are some things in my career that you better not follow. In a few aspects, I fail at [being an example], but I try to be the best version of myself, and I try to give the correct example to my team-mates, to young kids who watch us.
“But mentioning the subject of smoking, please do not follow me and don’t do it. I’ve lost the fight. When I was very young, I created a habit that is very negative for me, and I know it is. I just lose against it. So for anybody watching: Don’t do what I did.”
Szczesny moved to Barcelona in October 2024 after an ACL injury to Marc-André ter Stegen.
