WATCH: Richie Sadlier opens up about the sexual abuse he suffered as a child

Former Ireland international footballer Richie Sadlier has opened up about being sexually abused as a child.

Speaking to Ryan Tubridy on The Late Late Show, Sadlier said the abuse occurred when he was 14-years-old over a period of six weeks by a man who was treating him for an injury.

"Why didn't I stop? Why didn't I run? Why didn't I hit him back? Why didn't I tell someone? Why did I go back? I tormented myself with those questions for years.

"But because I didn't tell anyone, like if you were a pal of mine, I would never tell you, but looking back on it, if you don't tell someone what you've gone through, you don't give your mates the opportunity to give you their version of events or maybe you don't get the opportunity to hear out loud what your thoughts are.

My thoughts were completely bonkers about the whole thing, but I thought it was my failing. And the more I thought of it as that, the more determined I was that you or anyone else would never find out.

He told Ryan about the first time he told someone, an adult, about the abuse while at a training session.

"I told him a couple of things," said Sadlier. " I said I have to get naked for every session and I told him one other thing that was the nature of the thing going on in the room.

"He found it amusing and there was another man just out of earshot. He alerted the other fellow to the story and it was a joke. Everyone was laughing."

After that reaction, he waited five years before telling his mother. After, he told a friend who told him he shouldn't tell anyone about it, before his life "got into a mess for a long time".

"When I retired at the age of 24 it was just drinking days and because I was not being drug tested anymore I thought I will throw drugs into it as well. It was difficult and emotional and I was really hurt."

Sadlier went to therapy and is now alcohol free after giving it up aged 32. His book, 'Recovery' is out now.

He has since thanked people for the messages he received since the show aired, writing: "A lot to be said for talking about what you've been through when you're comfy to do so. Thanks for all the lovely messages about last night's chat with Ryan"

A lot to be said for talking about what you’ve been through when you’re comfy to do so. Thanks for all the lovely messages about last night’s chat with Ryan 💜

— Richie Sadlier (@RichieSadlier) October 5, 2019