England legend Paul Gascoigne has admitted he will never stop drinking despite his struggles with addiction.
Paul Gascoigne has made a candid admission about his long-standing battle with alcohol, confessing he believes he will never fully stop drinking and that he accepts he will die as Gazza.
The 58-year-old, widely regarded as one of the best English footballers of all time, has struggled publicly with alcohol addiction and mental health problems since retiring over two decades ago.
Despite numerous stints in rehab, Gascoigne stated he cannot cut alcohol entirely from his life, contrasting his journey with that of another English football great:”Jimmy Greaves stopped drinking, but that is Jimmy Greaves,” Gascoigne said in an interview with The Mirror.
“I don’t think about yesterday, I don’t think about tomorrow. I just think about today and live for today.”
He conceded that his public persona, and his battle with addiction will likely be his lasting legacy.
“I have not changed, I cannot change, I would not know how to change. I will probably die as Gazza. But I have nothing to hide. The whole country knows what I have done now.”
Reflecting on the past, he acknowledged the damage his addiction caused, but noted his relapses are now less severe.
“I drank because I wanted to drink, I regretted the consequences afterwards. Now if I have a relapse, I do not go for weeks on end like I did before. Looking back, I must have hurt my mum and dad. But you do not think about it. The person you hurt the most is yourself.”
