Prince William is such a fan of football and a fanatic of the team Aston Villa. He, recently, shared an anecdote about how he left his children so horrified one time as he was watching his favorite team beat West Ham.
The Duke of Cambridge said that he was so nervous for Aston Villa's final game on July 26 that he was jumping on the sofa and "screaming my head off." Prince William revealed that his kids -- Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis -- were looking at him "in horror" because of his reaction.
The royal admitted that the game last weekend was a "stressful moment" and he's glad that no one saw him but his children. The Duke of Cambridge shared the story as he hosted a viewing party among football fans near his home in Norfolk for the FA Cup.
According to People, the outdoor screening sports event was also the culmination of Prince William's mental health campaign with the Football Association. The viewing party had 25 guests that included medical frontliners, former football players and first responders.
The group watched a match between the Arsenal and Chelsea, where Prince William predicted the Arsenal would win at 2-1. Before the game, however, the Duke of Cambridge led a discussion about mental health with football manager Gareth Southgate.
Prince William said that he wanted to use football to encourage more people, especially men, to seek emotional support for their mental wellbeing. The father of three said that talking about their emotional issues is not a sign of weakness because it takes strength and courage to open up to someone.
The Duke of Cambridge, also, said that the culture has to shift and break down the stigma against people who seek experts if they are having a hard time coping emotionally, especially during this pandemic crisis. The royal said it should be acceptable for people to look for help when they cannot face or carry their problems or issues alone.
Prince William believes that football can help break that stigma if sports governing bodies and clubs around the world recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health. He encourages professional athletes, who are admired by millions of fans around the world, to be mentally fit amid the pressures and the demands of their game.
Earlier, Prince William, also, said in a video that football should aspire to be a better game with a "mentally healthy environment." Teams should have the positive support from their managers, coaches, co-players and family.
