South African footballer Patrick Maswanganyi, widely known as Tito, has opened up about the emotional difficulties he faced while playing in South Africa, revealing that the negative comments and criticism he received on social media had a serious impact on his family.

Maswanganyi explained that although he understood that criticism was part of being a professional footballer, his family found it much harder to deal with the constant negativity directed at him online.

According to the former Orlando Pirates winger, the situation became so distressing for his loved ones that some of them wanted him to consider walking away from football rather than continue dealing with the emotional pressure.

He admitted that he had gradually learned to accept criticism as part of his profession. However, knowing that his family was suffering because of the comments made about him made the experience particularly difficult.

"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 further revealed that his relatives regularly came across negative remarks about him on social media and struggled to understand why he continued playing despite the emotional toll it was taking on them.

Maswanganyi acknowledged that footballers are constantly exposed to public scrutiny, with supporters often expressing their opinions about players' performances, decisions and personal lives. Nevertheless, he was more concerned about the effect this negativity was having on the people closest to him.

The footballer also disclosed that his decision to move away from South Africa was partly influenced by his desire to protect his family's mental well-being.

He believed that relocating to another country would help his loved ones distance themselves from the criticism and online attacks that had become a source of distress.

His revelations highlight the emotional challenges professional footballers face away from the pitch and how social media criticism can affect not only players but also their families.

For Maswanganyi, moving away from South Africa was therefore about more than football or career opportunities. It was also an opportunity to find peace, improve his family's well-being and shield those closest to him from unnecessary negativity.

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