Samuel Umtiti has admitted that he suffered 'loneliness' and 'bouts of depression' after battling a knee injury in the wake of France's triumph at the 2018 World Cup. 

Umtiti had been a key member of France's triumphant squad at the tournament, starting seven of their eight matches in Russia.

His only absence from the starting line-up came in their final group match, having already qualified for the last-16.

Umtiti scored France's goal in a 1-0 semi-final win over Belgium, before beating Croatia 4-2 to win the tournament for the second time.

The defender had come into the tournament having experienced knee pain in the final weeks of the season for Barcelona, whose doctors diagnosed him as having a cartilage issue, but he opted against surgery to feature at the World Cup.

Umtiti continued to struggle with a chronic knee problem following the World Cup despite undergoing treatment.

He was unable to feature on a regular basis for Barcelona, failing to start more than 18 matches in a season during his final campaigns at the club.

Barcelona terminated his contract three years early in 2023, with Umtiti having played just 50 more times for them from 2018.

Speaking in a new documentary Diving Heads, Umtiti admitted he went from the 'mountain of a World Cup to the very bottom', and explained how loneliness 'ruined him' after being criticised by fans over a perceived lack of effort to return to fitness.

'Looking back, I know that mentally I was very, very, very affected by it, perhaps by the bouts of depression,' Umtiti said, as per RMC Sport.

'There were so many things… I didn't even leave my house. 

'People didn't know all of this. They thought: "Anyway, if he doesn't show anything on social media, it means he's not doing anything." 

'But I worked so hard, I was doing two or three training sessions a day, I had a prep course... It was incredible what I was doing, I didn't even really have a life, I didn't see my friends. 

When I read everything that came out in the press, I thought to myself: "How can they think that about me, I'm not like that, money isn't what motivates me." I just wanted to play football.

'I tried to do things the way the club wanted, but it didn't work; my knee was always swollen.'

Umtiti added that he had attempted to change his diet to help combat the inflammation on his knee.

The defender had undergone platelet-rich plasma injection therapy to help him return from injury, as well as knee surgeries in the latter part of his career.

Umtiti made 25 appearances for Italian side Lecce on loan in the 2022-23 season, prior to his Barcelona contract being terminated.

He joined Lille on a free transfer in 2023, but was restricted to just 13 appearances for the club.

Umtiti, now 32, announced his retirement from football in September and was honoured by the national team ahead of a World Cup qualifier last month.

He featured in the documentary with France team-mates Raphael Varane, Olivier Giroud, Blaise Matuidi and Djibril Sidibe, who outlined difficult moments in their careers and lives.