Talent Wasn’t the Problem. Mental Preparation Was.

A personal journey through football, failure, and finding purpose

By Akash Prasad | Co-Founder – Mind Matter Performance – UEFA B Licensed Coach | PFSA Certified Scout

I was six years old when I first kicked a football on the dusty grounds of Kathmandu, Nepal. Like most kids, it started as fun. But something inside me connected deeply with the game. It wasn’t long before that ball became an extension of who I was.

A few years later, my family moved to India and football followed me there too. That’s when things started to shift. I began training under two Nigerian coaches who knew the game inside out and pushed me to reach a level I hadn’t even imagined for myself. They taught me the fundamentals, the footwork, the sharpness, the tactical brain. Under their mentorship, I didn’t just fall in love with football. I began to master it.

By the time I was 13, I was good. Really good. So good, in fact, that I earned the opportunity to go to France to join the FC Metz youth academy, a place where some of the best young talents in the world were being groomed for greatness.

“Before I got there, I thought I was already at the top. Back in India, there weren’t many players I saw as better than me. Most of the time, I was the best on the pitch. But in France, everything changed.”

The level was unbelievable. Sharp, fast, relentless. At first, it was intimidating. But slowly, game by game, I began holding my own. I was competing, and sometimes even outplaying kids who would later go on to big clubs and big careers. On the outside, everything looked perfect. But inside, something began to unravel.

“It wasn’t about skill. It wasn’t about talent. It was what was happening in my mind.”

One bad game. A coach’s comment. A teammate’s off-hand remark. A bad day at school. The little things started piling up and I didn’t have the tools to process any of it. I started overthinking every pass, every touch, every mistake. I didn’t know how to manage pressure, silence doubt, or handle the intensity of expectations, both mine and others. Slowly, I lost motivation. Not because I didn’t love the game anymore, but because I didn’t know how to deal with the noise in my head.

“Back then, I didn’t even know what Sport Psychology was. I thought if I was thinking something, it must be true.”

That voice that said, ‘You’re not good enough’, ‘You’re falling behind’, ‘You’re failing,’ – I believed it.

I never questioned it. I never knew I could.

Years later, after returning from France, I began to reflect on my journey. And what hit me was this:

“I didn’t fail because I lacked talent. I faltered because I lacked the mental preparation to handle the world I had stepped into.”

If someone had just sat me down once every few weeks. A Sport Psychologist, a mentor, anyone who understood the mental side of performance. I know I would have approached things differently.

“Maybe I wouldn’t have spiralled the way I did. Maybe I would’ve stayed longer, grown stronger, and realised my full potential.”

What I’ve come to understand is this:

“Talent alone is never enough. Confidence, resilience, clarity, and mental toughness are just as important, if not more.”

Today, as I look back, I don’t feel regret. I feel responsibility.

Because now I know better. And I don’t want any young athlete to walk the same path I did without the support they need.

That’s why I’ve made it my mission to ensure aspiring professionals don’t just train their bodies, but train their minds too.

“Your talent can take you to the door. But your mindset decides whether you walk through it.”

This blog is just a piece of my story. If you’re a young athlete or someone guiding one, take this as a sign.

“Don’t wait for a breakdown to understand the importance of mental preparation. Get the help early. Be proactive. And remember, you’re not weak for needing support. You’re wise for seeking it.”

You don’t have to make the same mistake I did. And if I have anything to say about it, you won’t.