Heading footballs 'likely' contributed to death of former Manchester United star

A coroner has concluded that heading a football likely contributed to the brain injury of former Manchester United defender Gordon McQueen, which was a factor in his death. McQueen, who passed away aged 70 in June 2023, suffered from pneumonia due to a mix of vascular dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The inquest revealed that while he had a generally injury-free career, he did experience some concussions, and his daughter Hayley recalled him often coming home with headaches after training. McQueen had a successful playing career, notably with Leeds and Manchester United, before later turning to coaching and punditry. Following his passing, his family donated his brain for research, which confirmed evidence of CTE linked to his history of repeatedly heading the ball. Prof. Willie Stewart, who examined his brain, affirmed that this repeated exposure likely had a significant impact on his condition.

Read the full article at Manchester Evening News