Soccer-Sunderland forward Connolly opens up about alcoholism, rehab

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Brighton & Hove Albion v Tottenham Hotspur - The American Express Community Stadium, Brighton, Britain - October 5, 2019 Brighton and Hove Albion's Aaron Connolly celebrates scoring their second goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge /File Photo

(Reuters) - Sunderland's Ireland forward Aaron Connolly has revealed he has battled alcoholism for several years, saying he spent a month in rehab this summer after realising the addiction was killing him.

The 24-year-old, who opened up about his alcoholism in an interview on second-tier Sunderland's website to mark World Mental Health Day, pointed to his brilliant Premier League start when still a teenager as the beginning of his downward spiral.