Life hasn’t always been easy for football legend Paul Gascoigne.
Behind his dazzling skills and joyful spirit on the pitch lies a painful story that has haunted him since he was a child.
During a recent appearance on Good Morning Britain, the former England star opened up about a devastating event that changed him forever — the day a young boy died in his arms.
A Tragic Day That Changed Everything
Gascoigne recalled that he was just 10 years old when the tragedy happened.
He had promised to look after his friend’s younger brother, an eight-year-old boy who didn’t want to attend the local boys’ club.
The pair had gone to a nearby shop, laughing and running around like kids do — until a split-second decision changed everything.
According to Gascoigne, the young boy dashed a few steps ahead of him as they left the shop.
Before he could call out, a car struck the child.
“He ran in front of us one yard, and the car just hit him,” he said emotionally.
“I ran down, and he died in my lap. I thought he was still alive because his lips moved a bit. I went, ‘He’s OK, he’s breathing,’ but he wasn’t. That was his last movement.”
The Pain No Child Should Carry
The experience left a deep scar on Gascoigne.
He shared that he couldn’t bring himself to leave the boy’s side, even after he had passed away.
“I picked him up out of the coffin at only 10, and I remember him being freezing,” he recalled quietly.
“When the coffin left, I went and stayed with them again, in that same room for a week. I was only 10, staying in a room with a coffin. It was horrific.”
Those haunting memories followed him for years.
He developed nervous tics and strange sounds — his body’s way of coping with the trauma.
“I ended up with noises and twitches, and I refused to go and see him anymore,” he admitted.
Football Became His Escape
It was football that eventually gave Gascoigne a way out of the darkness.
Throwing himself into the sport helped him find peace and purpose.
“It wasn’t until I really got into football that I started getting my mind off everything,” he said.
“I went every night, took a ball with me, even slept with the football.”
For Gascoigne, the football pitch became a sanctuary — a place where the weight of his grief lifted, even if just for 90 minutes.
“Playing the game took me out of the nightmare,” he explained.
“Saturday was my day. Those 90 minutes on the pitch were my time.”
A Lifetime Battle with Addiction
Now 58, Gascoigne still carries the emotional weight of that childhood trauma, alongside his long struggle with addiction.
During the Good Morning Britain interview, he candidly admitted that he still drinks occasionally, despite years of effort to stay sober.
“I can go months and months without bothering and then have a two-day blip and then the consequences,” he confessed.
“Then I don’t like myself for a few days. I just get miserable and have to go to an AA meeting and just listen.”
He revealed that Alcoholics Anonymous has played a huge role in helping him understand his condition.
“It wasn’t until I first went to AA meetings that I realised I was an alcoholic,” he said.
Finding Hope and Healing Through His New Book
Gascoigne’s new autobiography, Eight, dives deeper into his personal journey — from childhood tragedy to his battles with addiction and mental health.
Appearing on the show to promote the book, he said he hopes to encourage others who are struggling to seek help.
Despite everything he’s faced, Gascoigne’s honesty and vulnerability continue to resonate with fans.
His story is one of pain, survival, and resilience — a reminder that even the brightest stars can carry the heaviest shadows.