Dementia in football: Ex-players over three times more likely to be diagnosed, study finds

There have been a number of studies in recent years exploring potential links between heading the ball and developing dementia

Former professional footballers are almost three-and-a-half times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than the general population, new research has found.

The study was commissioned by the Football Association and Professional Footballers' Association and conducted by the University of Nottingham.

They found that 2.8% of retired professional footballers in their study reported medically diagnosed dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases, compared to 0.9% of non-players.

That meant the ex-pros were found to be 3.46 times more likely to have neurodegenerative diseases compared to the rest of the population.

More than 460 footballers took part in the peer-reviewed study.

The findings backed up previous research in 2019 by experts at Glasgow University, which investigated fears that heading the ball could be linked to brain injuries.

That study, also commissioned by the FA and PFA, began after claims that former England and West Bromwich Albion striker Jeff Astle died because of repeated head trauma.

A group of 30 former footballers and their families started legal proceedings against football's governing bodies in November last year, claiming they failed to protect them from brain injuries.

The FA has been been looking to lower potential health risks and the chances of getting dementia, and last year approved a trial to remove deliberate heading in matches for under-12 level and below.

"The FA has led the way in taking steps to help reduce potential risk factors within the game, establishing industry-leading concussion guidelines," the FA said.

"[These include] introducing the world's most comprehensive heading guidance at every level of the professional and amateur game in England."

The new research also showed retired footballers in the study were twice as likely to fall below established thresholds in some dementia testing than the general population.

"This is an important new study which supports previous evidence suggesting that footballers are at greater risk of dementia and poorer cognitive functioning in later life," the PFA's head of brain health, Dr Adam White, said.

"[These studies] ensure that targeted and evidence-led action can be identified and taken to support and protect players at all stages of their career.

"Continued investment in this type of research will remain absolutely vital."