Daryl Janmaat, a former Netherlands international right-back, was a popular Premier League regular during his six-year stay in England with Newcastle United and Watford.

He missed only seven top-flight games throughout his two years at St James’ Park, and after their relegation to the Championship, he joined Watford, where he lasted four seasons and helped them reach the 2019 FA Cup final.

Unfortunately, after leaving Vicarage Road and returning home to Holland in 2020, his career began to wane, and he retired a few years later owing to a knee injury and a botched injection experienced at ADO Den Haag.

Transitioning to technical manager at the Dutch second-tier club did not provide the 36-year-old with the same outlet or structure as playing, and he has now spoken up about his struggles with cocaine addiction and the impact it has had on his life.

Daryl Janmaat speaks up about cocaine addiction.

In an interview with Dutch magazine AD, the former Watford and Newcastle full-back opened up about his retirement and subsequent cocaine addiction.I desperately wanted to continue, but a knee ailment threw a kink in the works. That knee was extremely inflamed, and following an injection, something went wrong: the incorrect needle produced inflammation in the joint. My career was ended. “I couldn’t deal with that,” he admitted.I was meant to receive assistance from everyone, but I was left to fend for myself. “It was nothing.”I suddenly lost the framework I had developed as a football player over the years. It was challenging. Cocaine addiction gradually set in. You start lying to your loved ones. That is dreadful. I caused significant harm to numerous individuals.My three children can also hear and read. I can’t and don’t want to delve into all the details, but my cocaine addiction has caused significant damage.”

Fortunately, his addiction led him to seek treatment in South Africa in 2023. Following therapy and counseling, he is making progress.

As a player, you can handle everything. You move from training to training. From match to match. “When I felt out of place as a technical manager at ADO, things went wrong,” he explained.Cocaine damages a lot.

My family and friends were supportive, yet I let many people down. You start lying and misrepresenting facts. That’s exhausting, but also really painful. “There were times when I was exceptionally bad.”I am still technically married, but we are no longer together.

The relationship was strained, but the addiction undoubtedly exacerbated matters. Despite significant harm, we are now on good terms.I had everything as a player, and I still do now. But a lot has transpired in the interim.

Too much. Addiction is a battle that leaves you at your wits end. “You’re struggling.”Therapy and counselling are available in such clinics. After that, I took a different direction. Fortunately, we are heading in the right direction.”

Daryl Janmaat’s confession is quite powerful.

It’s frequently underappreciated how much of an emotional toll a career-ending injury can have on a player, especially because football has been their only experience for decades.

There will be more sportsmen like Janmaat out there who have used addiction as a coping technique, and as the former Watford player explained, it can shatter relationships with family and cause a true war with oneself.

Janmaat’s choice to come forward and share his issues with addiction is truly powerful, and everyone will be relieved to hear that his relationship with his family is improving, as is the fact that he is on the right track away from drugs.

Hopefully, his admission will encourage others in his situation to follow in his footsteps and recognise that, while it may feel lonely to retire due to circumstances beyond your control, there are always others ready and willing to help.