Why do Scotland lead the way in football headers?

Looking at Scotland’s combined metrics compared to the 10 top leagues across the continent, there are over 35% of Scotland’s headers.

These figures may not come as a shock to those who watch Scottish football on a regular basis, but they do raise questions about what this means for the discussion around safety.

Since former England striker Geoff Astle died of dementia in 2002, scientists have increasingly linked repetitive head impacts to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which can also lead to the neurodegenerative disease.

In January, the coroner investigating the death of former Scotland and Manchester United midfielder Gordon McQueen said: “I am satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that repeated football blows to the head contributed to his chronic traumatic encephalopathy.”

A 2019 field study by the University of Glasgow found that former professional footballers were three and a half times more likely to develop neurodegenerative diseases. This number was higher for defenders.

Dr Willie Stewart, who led the study, said: “I actually looked, a few years ago, at heading rates across World Cup finals, going back to 1966.

“The statistics have actually shown that the number of headers in matches has been increasing over that 50-year period, rather than decreasing, as some might think – so I’m not too surprised.”

In 2022, the Scottish Football Association has introduced a number of changes aimed at reducing risks.

Heading was banned for under-12s, and in the professional game, there was a ban on heading the ball during training on the day before and after a match.

Clubs have also been asked to limit repetitive training exercises to one session per week.

Dr Johnny Gordon, chief medical officer at the Scottish FA, said: “The Scottish FA has led the way in research into head injuries in sport, and is working in partnership with the University of Glasgow on a landmark 2020 field study and additional research published in 2022.

“We will continue to monitor guidance based on cutting-edge research as part of the federation’s commitment to ensuring the national game is a safe and enjoyable environment for all players.”