Professional footballers are more than three times likely to die of dementia than those of the general public, new research commissioned by the Football Association [FA] and Professional Footballers Association [PFA] has showed.
Health records of more than 7,000 footballers in Scotland were compared to those of over 23,000 men who did not play professional football.
Experts from Glasgow University led the study, which the FA said was one of the most comprehensive studies ever commissioned globally into the long-term health of former professional footballers .
The issue of dementia in football gained prominence after it was claimed in 2014 that former England striker Jeff Astle died due to a brain condition caused by heading footballs. Astle died at the age of 59 …
Thomas Tuchel has emphasised Layvin Kurzawa s importance to Paris Saint-Germain amid speculation the full-back is about to join Arsenal.
Reports this week suggested left-back Kurzawa, who joined PSG from Monaco in 2015, was set to become Mikel Arteta s first signing at Arsenal.
However, the Frenchman joining on a free transfer at the end of the season is said to be more likely than a move this month.
Kurzawa has been limited to 30 Ligue 1 appearances since Tuchel took over at PSG in May 2018, with the former Borussia Dortmund coach preferring to play Juan Bernat at left-back.
However, with Bernat injured, Kurzawa featured against Monaco on Wednesday in a 4-1 victory, and Tuchel claimed the defender is currently too important to be allowed to leave in J…
Schalke forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has fuelled speculation he could re-join Ajax, saying everything is possible .
The 33-year-old left Ajax for Real Madrid in 2009, having struck over 100 goals for the Dutch giants, and he will go back to Amsterdam ArenA with Schalke in a Europa League quarter-final later this month.
Ahead of that clash, big Ajax fan Huntelaar has suggested a more permanent return could be on the cards, with his Schalke contract up at the end of the current campaign.
Everything is possible, he said when asked about a possible move in an interview with Ajax s official website. But it is difficult to say something about it now. We will see.
Ajax were a childhood love of mine. I ve always been a big Ajax fan. It is not very strange my who…
Burnley welcomed Leicester City to Turf Moor on Sunday, in the 23rd round of the 2019/20 Premier League season.
The Clarets have been a regular feature of the English top flight since 2016, but this term they ve been struggling indeed. It has even been reported that Sean Dyche, the man who s been in charge of the team since 2012, is facing a possibility of losing his job despite all the good work he s done over the years. Ahead of this game, they were in 15th place with 24 points to their name, only two more than Aston Villa topping the relegation zone.
On the other hand, Leicester have been sensational this season. Brendan Rodgers has built a truly formidable team, deemed by many better than the title-winning one of 2015/16. Indeed, if it weren t for Liverpool s magnif…
Gareth Bale has shown a lack of commitment to Real Madrid and will likely leave at the end of the season but Jose Mourinho may make a sensational return, according to former Los Blancos president Ramon Calderon.
Wales forward Bale has endured a torrid time at the Santiago Bernabeu in recent weeks, finding himself consigned largely to a bit-part role by head coach Santiago Solari and the focus of heavy criticism from the stands.
Madrid s season has unravelled in the space of three games, with back-to-back Clasico defeats to Barcelona ending their Copa del Rey and LaLiga title chances, while a humiliating 4-1 home loss to Ajax on Tuesday saw the three-time defending champions crash out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage.
With Madrid likely to make signif…
Aurelio De Laurentiis said I didn t call anyone as the Napoli president dismissed speculation that he is poised to sack Carlo Ancelotti amid links to Gennaro Gattuso.
With Napoli winless in eight matches across all competitions, reports in Italy claim the struggling Serie A side have decided to dismiss head coach Ancelotti following the Champions League fixture against Genk on December 10.
Rumours of a dressing-room revolt against Ancelotti have emerged, with former Milan boss Gattuso lined up as his potential replacement, while ex-Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri and Luciano Spalletti have also been touted.
But outspoken owner De Laurentiis – whose Napoli are seventh and 17 points off the pace in Italy s top flight – rejected reports Ancelotti is on the b…
Erik ten Hag has claimed that Ajax s KNVB Beker triumph has only fuelled their desire to win the Eredivisie and Champions League.
Ajax won their first trophy of the season on Sunday with a 4-0 victory over Willem II at De Kuip, goals from Daley Blind and Rasmus Kristensen either side of a Klaas-Jan Huntelaar brace ending a five-year drought without silverware.
They remain well in the hunt for a treble, with Ten Hag s side leading the way in the Eredivisie due to their superior goal difference over defending champions PSV, while they are 1-0 up halfway through a Champions League semi-final against Tottenham.
And ahead of Wednesday s return against Spurs at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, Ten Hag insisted Ajax will not be satisfied if they fail to achieve more …
Spain midfielder Pedri believes their loss to Japan has been a wake-up call for their World Cup campaign ahead of their last-16 tie with Morocco on Monday.
La Roja missed out on top spot in Group E after a shock defeat to the Samurai Blue, but still qualified after Germany beat Costa Rica elsewhere at Qatar 2022.
Having been firm favourites to top the pile and secure a more favourable knockout round tie, Luis Enrique s side will instead face Morocco after their own surprise campaign.
But with no safety net now going forward, Pedri says Spain are more than aware that there will be no second chances after suffering the unexpected defeat.
We have realised all matches or life and death, he told Sport. The last game was a tough match. It was a hard blow – w…
According to a recent report from Sky Sports News, Aston Villa have made an approach to try and sign Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud on loan until the end of the season.
However, one big hiccup that stands in the way of this deal is a competition rule that has been put in place by the Premier League. It clearly indicates that only one loan deal between the same two clubs in the top flight is allowed, which will probably harm this move as Danny Drinkwater is on the verge of completing his own switch from Chelsea to Villa Park.
The preference for Giroud himself is to link back up with Antonio Conte by making the jump over to Inter Milan as opposed to battling relegation in the Premier League.
Either way the veteran forward needs to be given the opportunit…
Japan staged a sensational fightback to deal Germany a shock 2-1 defeat in their World Cup opener as Bundesliga players Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano came off the bench to stun the four-time winners.
Germany made headlines by covering their mouths in a pre-match protest against FIFA s decision to ban Manuel Neuer from wearing the OneLove armband, and they looked set to make a positive start in Group E when Ilkay Gundogan converted a first-half penalty.
Hansi Flick s side then squandered several golden opportunities to put the game to bed before Freiburg forward Doan made them pay from a rebound 15 minutes from time.
With Germany chasing a winner, there was to be one final twist as Asano raced onto a long ball before firing beyond Neuer, leaving Die Mannschaft under…