Embargoed 08.00, Friday 8th August 2025/London:
Virtual Soccer Schools (VSS) is launching the VSS Mental Health XI – a new campaign uniting eleven high-profile players and coaches from across the professional game to confront the growing youth mental health crisis. Timed to coincide with the start of the new football season and children returning to school in September, the initiative will deliver inspiring virtual sessions into schools around the world, using the power of football and storytelling to support children aged 8-16.
These sessions combine personal stories from players with guided activities led by educators, helping students reflect on mental health themes such as resilience, confidence, and managing pressure. Delivered via virtual assembly-style formats, they are designed to be inclusive, engaging, and easily accessible to schools worldwide.
Mental health challenges among children in the UK are now at record levels. According to data published earlier this year by the Children’s Commissioner for England, 1 in 5 children aged 8-16 had a probable mental disorder in 2023, up from 1 in 8 in 2017. Nearly 1 million children were referred to NHS mental health services in 2023-24, yet 320,000 were still waiting for treatment by year-end. The problem is not limited to the UK: the World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 7 adolescents aged 10-19 globally lives with a mental health disorder – the vast majority without access to care.
These findings point to a clear and deepening youth mental health crisis – one that demands urgent, creative, and credible responses. The VSS Mental Health XI aims to respond directly to this need by normalising conversations around mental health and helping children build emotional resilience. This year's XI includes current and former stars from across the game: Lucy Staniforth, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Calvin Bassey, Tim Ream, Thomas Vermaelen, Willy Caballero, Asmir Begović, Bruno Saltor, Josh King, Chris Richards, and Martha Thomas. The group will evolve each season in line with the football calendar, allowing new players and coaches to step forward and share their stories year on year.
Founded in 2020 by Tom Lamb, international educator, and Tim Ream, current US Men's National Team captain, VSS has supported more than 90,000 children across six continents, running sessions everywhere from Tanzania and the UK to the UAE, DR Congo and the US, using football as a platform for mental health education and personal growth. This is the next phase of a global charity using football to inspire, educate and empower – previously supported by stars including Reece James (whose session drew over 30,000 child participants), Naomi Girma, and Christian Pulisic. The campaign builds on the success of VSS Mental Health Awareness Week in May 2025, which featured Chris Richards and reached over 10,000 children across 300 UK schools.
Tom Lamb, Founder of VSS, said: “This campaign is deeply personal to me. I’ve seen how many young people are quietly struggling – with anxiety, self-doubt, and the pressure to always appear okay. We founded VSS to change that. The VSS Mental Health XI is about letting young people know they’re not alone – that asking for help is a sign of strength, and that support can come through something as familiar and powerful as football.”
Tim Ream, VSS Trustee and USMNT international, added: “When I speak to young people, it’s clear how much they’re dealing with – the pressure, the comparison, the isolation. I’ve felt that too – from early doubts about my future in football, to injuries that made me question whether I could continue, to the constant emotional toll of elite sport. Mental toughness doesn’t mean not feeling the pain – it means knowing what to do with it. If we as players can share that with young people, help them feel seen and understood, we can make a real difference. That’s what the VSS Mental Health XI is about.”
VSS is now seeking mission-aligned funders and partners to help scale the programme globally, ensuring every child – regardless of background – has access to mental health support they can relate to and trust.
ENDS
For more information on Virtual Soccer Schools, visit www.vss-global.org.
Media Contacts:
Sam Postlethwaite / sam.postlethwaite@live.com / +44 7896 731 653
