Nottingham Forest target Léo Ortiz keeps showing leadership beyond the game. The 29-year-old helped Flamengo reach the Copa Libertadores final this week. But his recent comments in Brazil revealed a different kind of maturity.

Stepping away from social media

In an interview with ESPN, Ortiz said he chose to leave social media to protect his mental health. The pressure and negativity online had started to affect his mood. He explained that staying close to real friends mattered more than public attention.

“I started noticing it at certain moments. Of course, when things are going well, you don’t see the bad side of social media, because you get so many compliments. It feeds your ego. But the same people who praise you will later step on you and say you’re worthless,” said the defender.

“It inflates your ego in an illusion, because when things go wrong, all that hate and anger hits you, and you shut down. For a moment I thought it was better to close myself off with people I love, who tell me the truth. That’s why I decided to disconnect”, he explained.

A calm and reliable leader

Fans and commentators in Brazil praised Ortiz for his...