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Patrice Evra: Learning How To Cry Saved My Life!

This weeks episode entitled 'Patrice Evra: Learning How To Cry Saved My Life' topics: 0:00 Intro 04:00 Your early years 13:26 Child abuse 26:03 Your brother 28:16 Toxic masculinity 40:38 What does football mean to you 51:43 Joining Manchester United 01:05:02 Sir Alex Ferguson 01:13:51 You and Luis Suarez 01:26:19 Being the best person you can be 01:32:33 The last guests question Patrice:  https://www.instagram.com/patrice.evra/?hl=en  Patrice’s Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patrice-Evra/e/B07FZD3YMC%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share  The Diary Of A CEO live - Sign up here - https://g2ul0.app.link/diaryofaceolive Listen on: Apple podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-diary-of-a-ceo-by-steven-bartlett/id1291423644 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7iQXmUT7XGuZSzAMjoNWlX FOLLOW ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steven/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteveBartlettSC Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-bartlett-56986834/ Sponsor - https://uk.huel.com/

Patrice EvraguestSteven Bartletthost
Nov 8, 20211h 35mWatch on YouTube ↗

CHAPTERS

  1. 0:00 – 4:10

    Introduction: The Iceberg Beneath Patrice Evra’s Public Persona

    Steven Bartlett frames Patrice Evra as an ‘iceberg’ whose public image as a tough, funny football champion hid a much deeper, painful reality. He previews Evra’s childhood poverty, abuse, family tragedy, and long‑held silence, setting up the conversation as a revelation of the unseen part of Evra’s life.

  2. 4:10 – 11:00

    Childhood: Large Family, Poverty, and Domestic Violence

    Evra describes an overcrowded yet ‘happy’ childhood in France, where he shared beds, begged for food, and stole to get by. He explains how his strict father provided materially but also taught him that crying was weakness and occasionally abused his mother, leading to a painful family split.

  3. 11:00 – 21:30

    From Father’s Departure to Street Survival

    After his father left, Evra felt free from authority and gravitated towards street life, stealing, fighting, and dealing. He insists he was never a ‘gangster’ but a survivor, driven by a sense of responsibility to provide for his mother in any way he could.

  4. 21:30 – 38:00

    Sexual Abuse by Head Teacher and Years of Silence

    Evra recounts in harrowing detail being sexually abused at 13 by his school head teacher, whom he lived with to pursue football. He describes nightly visits, escalating touching, and the assault itself, as well as freezing, repressing the memories, and later refusing to help investigators, which left him feeling like a coward.

  5. 38:00 – 45:00

    Margot, Breaking Down, and Redefining Masculinity

    In his late 30s, Evra met Margot, who gently challenged his hyper‑masculine, emotionless shell. Through persistent questioning and a moment triggered by a TV program about pedophilia, he broke down, told her about the abuse, cried deeply, and began understanding toxic masculinity, vulnerability, and the need to unlearn old patterns.

  6. 45:00 – 59:00

    Fatherhood, Feminine Energy, and Safe Relationships

    Evra and Bartlett explore how embracing emotional ‘feminine’ energy—vulnerability, softness, empathy—has reshaped their relationships. Evra details how he now responds differently to his young son’s tears, cries when his partner cries, and uses conflict with Margot to strengthen their bond rather than win arguments.

  7. 59:00 – 1:12:00

    Football as Escape, Addiction, and Early Exploitation

    Evra explains how football became his obsession, escape, and reason for living, even as he was exploited by mafia‑linked figures early in his career. Despite hunger and poor conditions in Sicily, he felt he had “made it” simply by having a tracksuit and being served food at a club table.

  8. 1:12:00 – 1:30:00

    Manchester United: Ferguson, Pressure, and Sacrifice

    Evra recounts joining Manchester United, initially struggling badly, and then internalizing Sir Alex Ferguson’s ruthless winning culture. He describes the emotional cost of becoming a ‘robot’ focused only on victory, the sacrifices of family life, and key moments of conflict and respect with Ferguson.

  9. 1:30:00 – 1:43:00

    Racism, Luis Suárez, and Institutional Failure

    Evra revisits the infamous incident where Luis Suárez racially abused him, the inadequate on‑field response, and the subsequent media and fan backlash against him. He details the threats he endured, his anger at Liverpool’s public support of Suárez, later apologies from Jamie Carragher and club owners, and his belief that football’s fight against racism is largely symbolic.

  10. 1:43:00 – 1:57:00

    Faith, Values, and Trying to Be a Better Human

    Moving beyond sport, Evra shares that his ‘religion’ is now striving to be the best human being he can, grounded in kindness and service. He talks about defending Muslims and Islam during the Paris attacks despite his Catholic upbringing, opening shelters in Senegal, and prioritizing the emotional impact he has on others over trophies.

  11. 1:57:00

    Closing Reflections: Vulnerability, Legacy, and the ‘Iceberg’ Revealed

    In the final section, Bartlett reflects on how Evra’s vulnerability will help men and young people feel less alone and more willing to share. Evra reinforces the importance of confiding in someone about trauma, thanks Bartlett for creating a safe space, and picks his dream dinner guests—his mother, his partner, and Bartlett—underscoring the depth of connection built in the conversation.

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