South African footballer Patrick Maswanganyi, popularly known as Tito, has opened up about the emotional challenges he experienced during his time in South Africa, revealing that the criticism and negative comments he received on social media also affected his family.

Maswanganyi explained that although he had learned to deal with criticism as a professional footballer, the situation was much more difficult for his loved ones, who struggled to cope with the negative attention surrounding him.

According to the former Orlando Pirates winger, members of his family became so distressed by the online abuse that they wanted him to consider quitting football altogether.

He acknowledged that, as a professional player, criticism was part of the game and something he had to accept. However, seeing his family suffer because of comments directed at him made the situation particularly painful.

"Everyone knows that I was under a lot of pressure, not really pressure but my family was suffering from the comments that I was getting from social media," Maswanganyi explained.

He added that his family would regularly see the negative comments and would rather have him walk away from football than continue experiencing the emotional strain.

Maswanganyi, however, maintained that he understood the nature of professional football and knew that criticism was inevitable. His biggest concern was ensuring that his family was protected from the negativity.

The footballer further revealed that moving away from South Africa was partly motivated by his desire to improve his family's mental well-being.

He felt that relocating far from the country would give his loved ones some distance from the criticism and online attacks that had affected them.

His revelation offers a glimpse into the personal struggles footballers sometimes face beyond the pitch, highlighting how social media criticism can extend beyond players and affect their families.

For Maswanganyi, the decision to move was therefore not simply about his football career but also about finding peace and protecting the people closest to him.

Source: https://x.com/iDiskiTimes/status/2119895018596917445?a=EbTXCd4IHpq_D_XjvY0&s=19