Ex Brighton coach Dario Vidošić has warned about the damaging effects of online abuse on young footballers, explaining why even the game's greatest stars are not immune to criticism from social media users.
For young footballers dreaming of making it professionally, social media can be a valuable platform to showcase their talent and connect with supporters.
But it can also expose them to a darker side of the game.
Online abuse has become an increasingly prominent issue across football, with players regularly targeted following disappointing performances, controversial results or international appearances.
And according to Dario Vidošić, the impact of those comments should never be underestimated.
Speaking exclusively to StriveAid, Vidošić reflected on his own experiences as a former professional footballer, explaining how repeated criticism can gradually affect even those who believe they have developed a thick skin.
Why online abuse can have a lasting impact
Vidošić understands that criticism is part of professional football, particularly at clubs where expectations and scrutiny are intense.
However, he believes there is a significant difference between analysing a player's performance and personally targeting them online.
"It can be very tough, and I know also as a former footballer, you see sometimes stuff that's written to your teammates on the club socials for the players," he explained.
"Sometimes, you know, we've been told about when they've been attacked after maybe national teams or after a performance, and it happens at the bigger clubs maybe more, where there's even more fanfare and people want those results."
For young players still developing both on and off the pitch, that pressure can be particularly difficult to navigate.
Vidošić highlighted how repeated negative comments can gradually influence someone's confidence, even when they initially appear able to brush them aside.
He recalled an analogy involving David Beckham, in which someone repeatedly tells the former England captain that he is ugly.
The first comment might be dismissed, but hearing the same insult day after day could eventually introduce doubt.
"He'd probably brush it off the first few days, but the more it starts to then put that doubt in your mind, and then he probably starts thinking, 'Oh, maybe I am'," Vidošić said.
It is a simple example, but one that illustrates how persistent criticism can wear someone down over time.
For young footballers, whose confidence and identity may still be developing, that effect is especially concerning.
Even Messi and Ronaldo face online hate
Vidošić believes the treatment of football's biggest stars demonstrates just how widespread the problem has become.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are widely regarded as two of the greatest players in football history, yet both continue to attract criticism and abuse online despite their extraordinary achievements.
For Vidošić, their experiences put the issue into perspective.
"These are some of the best footballers ever to touch a ball, and they're getting love, but they're also getting a fair amount of hate as well online," he said.
"Which is sad because I think as humans and as people, we want better. We need to do better."
If players with their experience, success and global recognition can still be targeted, it raises important questions about the environment young footballers are entering.
Vidošić stressed that players should be able to give their best, acknowledge when they have performed poorly and celebrate when things go well without becoming targets for personal abuse.
"When you go out, you give your most. You're doing something you love. You don't want to get abused for that," he explained.
"You want to be in a safe space."
He believes that principle should extend beyond football, with everyone deserving the opportunity to work hard and pursue their ambitions without being subjected to abuse.
The role of anonymous accounts and gambling
Vidošić also pointed to the way social media allows people to hide behind fake profiles, often making it easier to direct hostility towards players without considering the consequences.
He suggested that frustration surrounding betting can also contribute to the abuse, with some supporters directing their anger at athletes after losing money.
"Sometimes it comes from the gambling sites. People are losing money, so then who else can I take it out on? Then the person that made me lose the money, but I didn't make you put the money on," he said.
Vidošić has seen this behaviour across different sports, referencing basketball star LeBron James and tennis legend Serena Williams alongside football's biggest names.
His point is that athletes can become convenient targets for frustrations that extend well beyond their performances.
But the consequences remain real for the people receiving those messages.
Whether the target is a global superstar or a young player taking their first steps in the professional game, Vidošić believes abuse serves no positive purpose.
A responsibility to do better
For Vidošić, tackling online abuse ultimately comes down to the kind of sporting culture people want to create.
Football should give players the opportunity to develop, learn from mistakes and enjoy the game they love. Personal attacks risk undermining that environment, particularly when young players are still finding their feet.
He believes supporters should remember that athletes are people first, with families, ambitions and emotions away from the pitch.
"They want to make their families proud. They want to make people proud. They want to give everything," he said.
"But when it comes with abuse, it just doesn't help anyone."
His message is straightforward: criticism does not need to become cruelty, and passion for sport should never be an excuse to tear someone down.
"We need to do better as a society, as people, and we want to try to pick people up," Vidošić added.
"You don't want to be online hiding behind a profile, trying to tear people down who are trying to make a positive impact in the world."
For young footballers growing up in an era where every performance can be discussed instantly online, that message matters.
Talent, hard work and ambition should be encouraged. And whether someone is a future professional, an established international or one of the greatest players ever to take to a pitch, they deserve to be treated with respect.
