Manchester United’s defender Raphaël Varane has emphasized the detrimental impact concussions have had on his body while highlighting the necessity of increasing awareness among players regarding the risks associated with heading the ball.
Varane revealed that he experienced a concussion just a few days before participating in France’s 1-0 loss to Germany in the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup, as well as during his tenure at his previous club Real Madrid, notably during their defeat to Manchester City in the second leg of the last 16 of the 2020 Champions League.
At the age of 30, he retired from international football following a decade-long career with Les Bleus, during which he secured victory in the 2018 World Cup and finished as a runner-up four years later.
“My seven-year-old son plays football and I advise him not to head the ball. For me, that’s essential,” Varane told L’Équipe. “Even if it doesn’t cause any immediate trauma, we know that in the long term, repeated shocks can have harmful effects. Personally, 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 and his son Ruben
A study commissioned by the Football Association has uncovered evidence indicating that repetitive heading of footballs during a professional football career is linked to an increased risk of cognitive impairment later in life. In response, the FA has experimented with eliminating deliberate heading in matches at under-12 level, while other nations like Scotland have prohibited heading on the days surrounding matches.
Furthermore, in March, the International Football Association Board announced that additional permanent concussion substitutions will be integrated into football’s regulations. However, the decision to implement these substitutions remains at the discretion of the organizers of individual competitions.
“No matter how much the player says he wants to play, the medical staff have to veto it, because it puts players’ lives at risk,” Varane said. “We also have to make the player understand that it’s not showing his strength to continue playing after a serious injury, but that the real strength lies in getting out, stopping playing and resting. This can be difficult for a top-level athlete to take on board.”
Varane mentioned that he was absent for several matches for Manchester United this season because of concussion symptoms.