Higuain opens up: I took refuge and was afraid to go out Premier League Has been heavily criticised in public

Chelsea's Gonzalo Higuain has admitted to suffering during his time as a footballer, even being fearful of leaving his house.

Higuain has played in Spain, Italy and now England, and believes that the general public should show some discretion when giving their thoughts to footballer's in the streets and should remember that, above all, they are people too.

"I always regret when I used to take refuge and avoid going out in fear of what people would say to me," Higuain said to ESPN's Let's Talk Football.

"There are people who do so much damage to you without feeling any shame.

"We don't kill anyone, we try to do things well, we only play a sport, but we can't go out."

Higuain went on to discuss the loneliness footballers have to endure and that the general public have a lack of sympathy for their problems.

"They always say 'with the money they earn...'," he explained.

"But friends can't be bought. Fourteen years ago I spent birthdays and Christmases with different people and if I want to see my mum she has to fly for 15 hours.

"Of course, I can pay for her ticket but I can't see her in ten minutes and people don't see that.

"All people see is whether or not you score, because that's what we're paid for. That's how they judge us."