Dominic Calvert-Lewin admits 'crying on bedroom floor' during Everton struggles
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has revealed he spent part of his birthday in tears on his bedroom floor as Everton battled for Premier League survival. The Toffees forward scored the pivotal goal to cement his side's place in this division in 2021/22 but endured emotional turmoil in the build up to that moment.
Calvert-Lewin, 28, joined Everton as a teenager in 2016 and netted the winning goal against Crystal Palace to secure a 3-2 win and the Merseyside club's place in the top-flight. The striker has scored 71 goals in his Everton career but none more important than in that moment.
An injury-plagued season saw Calvert-Lewin's influence on the pitch wane, having hit a career high 21 goals the previous term. With the Toffees battling for survival, the Sheffield-born star's return saw him pile pressure on himself.
Calvert-Lewin's issues saw him believe that it was 'his responsibility to save everybody', with the prospect of job losses and relegation on the horizon. Speaking on the High Performance Podcast, Calvert-Lewin admitted he hit 'rock bottom' before scoring that goal.
"I did an Instagram post [at the end of the season] which was an outburst of emotion," Calvert-Lewin said. "I can look back in hindsight and reflect on what it was, I scored the goal against Palace that kept Everton in the league and that feeling I will never be able to describe.
"It was the weight of my own pressure, the football club. I am quite an emotional person and I put that weight on my shoulders. I thought it was my responsibility to save everybody, save jobs and that's a lot to put on your shoulders. When I scored that goal it was relief.
"On my birthday, four or five weeks before I scored that goal, that was a low point for me. I ended up crying on my bedroom floor, I think it was not knowing how to express what I was feeling in that moment. Feeling that things are getting away from you.
"You have all the pressure of the football club on your shoulders and at the time I couldn't play, as I had another injury. I was thinking it was a rock bottom moment for me. I felt better after I cried and let out that emotion, and was like 'I'm going to save Everton Football Club'."
Calvert-Lewin's contract is set to expire this summer and wants to find himself in a winning environment. The forward, who has four goals in 11 England caps, wants to earn his way back to the Three Lions set-up and make a Champions League debut before he hangs up his boots.
"I have to be careful with what I say because I am still contracted to Everton, I have a long history with Everton and a big respect for the club," he said.
"The main thing for me is I want to win, I want to be in a winning environment. After the last three or four seasons it has been about survival.
"When I started my career I wanted to play in the Premier League, play for England a go to major tournaments with England and play in the Champions League. I have played in a major tournament for England, I have played in the Premier League, but I haven't played in the Champions League. There are still things I would like to achieve before my time is done.
"To have the opportunity to decide potentially where that place will be. If it gives me the best opportunity and environment to win and score goals, then that would be the return of me to the England team and playing in the Champions League.
"That has been my driver to play at the highest level possible. My representation of that is the Champions League, World Cups, Euros and getting into that bracket of elite players."
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