Skip to main content

Less Header in Football for Health Cause, Is it Possible?

Image
By



The recommendation to lessen the number of heading in football games to reduce the risk of dementia appears to be easier said than done.

Concerns about the impact of headers in football have grown since the departure of former England internationals from the 1966 World Cup squad, Nobby Stiles, in 2020. He was diagnosed with dementia, which was linked to the repeated headings. Stiles' teammates in the Three Lions squad, including Martin Peters, Ray Wilson, the former Republic of Ireland manager, Jack Charlton, and his younger brother, Bobby Charlton, who died in October 2023, reportedly shared the same neurodegenerative condition.

The Potential Risk

Such tendency has been supported by the date from further study and research. During an interview with Sky Sports, Dr. Willie Stewart, Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Glasgow and the study's lead expert, expressed his concern. He claimed that footballers were 3.5 times more likely than the general population to die from brain disease, and that replacing the modern ball with a faster-moving one, as compared to the ball in 1976, could arguably make it worse.

The data appears to corroborate the findings of a 2019 PFA (Professional Football Association) charity-funded study on FIELD (Football's Influence on Lifelong Health and Dementia risk), which found that footballers had a 3.5 times higher death rate from neurodegenerative conditions than the general population.

As a result, the less heading in football has been proposed. Dr. Stewart believed that an immediate change was required at all levels, including modifying training by reducing any unnecessary heading, reducing all of it in youth football, and conducting additional research into any head injuries in the professional game.  Based on the evidence available, PFA chairman Ben Purkiss has urged the football authorities to intervene.

Possible or Not?

The question of whether it is possible to reduce the heading in the match, whether for scoring goals, providing assists, or clearing, remains unanswered. It is unclear when any football governing bodies will impose a new regulation for it. Surprisingly, there has already been interesting development at the top level.

The average number of headers per game in the major European leagues is higher in the English Premier League and German Bundesliga than in the Italian Serie A, French Ligue 1 and Spanish La Liga. However, the numbers appear to be decreasing in all of the top flights except La Liga.

This shift may be related to the tactical trend in Spain's top flight, where more teams are using longer passes and relying more on physical duels rather than technical skills and creativity. These are diametrically opposed to the nature of Latin football.

The success of Atletico Madrid under Diego Simeone in the past decade by winning two league titles (2014 and 2021) , two UEFA Champions League runners-up (2014 and 2016) as well as two Europa League and UEFA Super Cup trophies (2012 and 2018) might be inspiring more teams to follow their footsteps. Their playing style and even formations have grown in popularity, particularly among mid and lower table teams lacking marquee signings. Athletic Bilbao, Valencia, Villarreal and Getafe are some of the examples.  

In summary, there may have been some awareness in modern football regarding the brain injury issue as a long term impact on headings, at least at the European major leagues, which could lead to a gradual adjustment. Nevertheless, an official game rule to reduce header is still necessary for the sake of the players' health. After all, with less heading on the pitch, players and teams will be forced to be more creative and improve their technical abilities rather than emphasising physical duels.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FIFA World Cup editions with Most Qualified Teams from British Isles

By
  A few FIFA World Cup editions saw several teams from the British Isles qualify in the final round.  The 2026 FIFA World Cup is already around the corner, and all confederations have completed all stages or reached the last stage in the qualifiers. UEFA is getting ready to hold the playoff stage, which will be contested in March next year. These teams will remain unknown in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw, which will be held on December 5.  For the British Isles, the World Cup in North America could be historic, as all five teams from there could be playing in the final round. England and Scotland have secured automatic berths, while Wales , Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland still have the chance to seal the remaining berths via playoff. They are all placed in two different pots.  They will be fighting for the two remaining berths. Wales and Northern Ireland could be squaring off in the playoff final pot 1, provided they could see off Bosnia and...
Post a Comment
Read more

The European Elite Teams’ Banter Era in Modern Football

By
  Each of Europe's elite teams has their own 'banter era' in modern football, during which they failed to win any prestigious titles. The 'Banter Era' is defined as a period in which a football team goes through difficult years without winning a notable top title, such as a league title or a continental top flight championship. In this era, teams consistently underperform, producing disappointing results and campaigns. In Europe, almost all elite sides and the powerhouses in the top five league, have experienced such a ‘dark age’, except perhaps Bayern Munich. Some clubs managed to end it before deteriorating , whereas others had to struggle for years before finally putting an end to their misery. Recently, more than one elite clubs have found themselves in the midst of such an unwanted era. Italian giant, Juventus, French side, Olympique Marseille, the Dutch powerhouse, Ajax Amsterdam and last but not least, the once great side, Manchester United. Among those...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Few Incredible Irish Goalkeepers at the European Top Flight Competition

By
  The Irish goalkeepers seem to be too rare to have a spotlight in the European top flight competition, UEFA Champions League, or European Cup in the past. The record on Irish goalkeepers in the Champions League or European Cup have never been easy to find, especially the incredible ones. Such does not appear to be the main stage for them. However, it might change this season with the emergence of Caoimhin Kelleher. The current Liverpool goalie is initially Alisson Becker’s understudy. Yet, his thigh injury has forced him on the sideline. His potential return is on December 14 th . During his absence, the Ireland international displayed his true quality, including saving penalties. Kylian Mbappe’s one was the most recent one he denied, which helped The Reds end their dismal run against Los Blancos in the Champions League by snatching a 2-0 win at home. Kelleher has featured in five UCL games so far: three fixtures this season plus another two final matches at the group stage in...
Post a Comment
Read more