“From Struggles to Strength: Nacho Novo’s Path to Coaching and Recovery”
Rangers legend Nacho Novo has revealed that he considered suicide after the loss of his football career became overwhelming. The Spaniard, inducted into the Ibrox club’s Hall of Fame in 2014, retired in 2017 and fell into a deep depression, reaching the lowest point of his life. Novo suffered a heart attack while playing for a Rangers legends team in Berlin in 2018 and underwent emergency surgery. Despite surviving this ordeal, he continued to struggle with suicidal thoughts.
“I am not the only one to have felt the way I did when I had suicidal thoughts,” he said. “Lots of ex-professional players I know felt the same after their careers ended, but they don’t express their emotions.”
Novo admitted to excessive drinking and drug use, and at his lowest point, he contemplated ending his life. He credits good friends and professional mental health support for helping him through this difficult period. Now, he is determined to return to football and inspire young players, aiming to be a positive influence and help others.
The 45-year-old Nacho Novo, who netted 73 goals in 255 games for Rangers, is now coaching at Drumchapel United, a West of Scotland Football League club in the sixth tier of Scottish football. The community club has provided Novo with a platform to continue his personal rehabilitation while assisting others. “I am no longer the old Nacho,” he said.
Novo is committed to his rehabilitation, recognizing that the person who contemplated suicide wasn’t truly him. He acknowledges the foolishness of his past thoughts and understands the need to change for the sake of his 14-year-old son, Javier.
After spending two years coaching in America and missing his son, Novo is determined not to let him down and wants to wake up each morning with optimism. He feels he is now in a good place.
Besides coaching at Drumchapel, Novo, who is separated from his wife Donna Clark, spends three hours daily training in the gym for a charity fight with TikTok influencer Caz Milligan. However, his main focus remains on Drumchapel.
“This could be a stepping stone for me and lead to a coaching career in the fully professional leagues one day,” he said. “I’ve passed through the dark times and now, with Drumchapel’s help, I want to stay in a positive place in life.”
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