Manchester United’s defender, Raphaël Varane, has advised fellow footballers against heading the ball too often due to the potential for causing permanent damage to one’s body.

The 30-year-old Frenchman revealed his concerns about potential long-term effects after experiencing multiple concussions during his playing career.

Varane, who retired from international football after a decade-long tenure, disclosed that he played numerous matches for both club and country while dealing with the aftermath of head injuries.

Speaking to the French outlet L’ÉQUIPE, Varane stated that he has cautioned his son, also a football player, against heading the ball. “My seven-year-old son plays football, and I advise him not to head the ball. For me, that’s essential,” he emphasized. “Even if it doesn’t cause any immediate trauma, we know that in the long term, repeated shocks can have harmful effects. I don’t know if I’ll live to be 100, but I do know that I’ve damaged my body. The dangers of headers need to be taught on all amateur football pitches and to young people.”

Varane recounted instances where he suffered concussions, including before France’s 1-0 defeat by Germany in the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup and during a match for his former club Real Madrid against Manchester City in the last 16-second leg of the 2020 Champions League.

“The first time I heard about [micro-concussions] was this season when specialists came in to talk to us about it … Often, as a player, we don’t understand, and we don’t even think about doing a test,” he explained.

Earlier this season, Varane shared his personal experience with heading the ball excessively during a match for Manchester United, which led to abnormal fatigue and eye strain in the following days. He promptly reported his symptoms to the club’s medical staff, who advised him against playing and conducted a test, resulting in his absence from the subsequent match.

Varane also expressed a desire to raise awareness about the risks associated with heading the ball, noting the challenge of addressing head injuries within the culture of men’s football.

A study commissioned by the Football Association found evidence suggesting that repetitive heading of balls during a professional football career is linked to a higher risk of cognitive impairment in later life. Consequently, the FA has experimented with the removal of deliberate heading in matches at the under-12 level, with countries like Scotland implementing restrictions on heading before and after matches.

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