Andy Carroll breaks silence, reveals sexual abuse he suffered in 2021

While Andy Carroll continues to score goals in the sixth tier of English football, the 37‑year‑old former Liverpool and Newcastle striker has decided to make public an episode of his life that remained in the shadows for five years.

Carroll, an England international with nine caps, announced in his new biography that he suffered sexual abuse in 2021 while sleeping in his own home. The author admits he hesitated a lot before including the account, describing the decision as “something that terrifies me to talk about.”

Abuse details

According to his account, the victim was a friend of his then‑partner, who stayed over after attending a boxing match. The man, under the influence of alcohol and naked, occupied a guest room and, while Carroll slept, sexually assaulted him.

Upon realizing what had happened, Carroll expelled the attacker from the house. When the man tried to return, the footballer knocked him unconscious with several blows before calling the police.

Report and judicial process

Carroll reported the crime while crying in the arms of his children's nanny and later had to testify before the court, describing the experience as “humiliating, shameful and absolutely horrible.”

The attacker was sentenced to three years in prison, placed on the sexual offenders register and was barred from entering the town where Carroll lived. The investigation included forensic evidence, DNA analysis and messages on the accused's phone directed at minors.

Aftereffects and reflection

Five years later, Carroll says the trauma affects him in every area of life, that he thinks about the incident every day and finds it difficult to concentrate on football. The memory remains present in his thoughts and shapes his professional performance.

The former player explains that sharing his story aims to help other people who have experienced similar situations, stating that if his testimony helps even one person, it will have been worth it.

In his career, Carroll won the 2012 League Cup with Liverpool, sharing a dressing room with Luis Suárez, Jamie Carragher, Pepe Reina, Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Maxi Rodríguez. He now plies his trade at Dagenham, showing that his career continues despite personal wounds.