Football is swimming in money..yet players are left without help

World Cup hero's son calls for better dementia support

- WARREN MANGER

THE cost of caring for footballers with dementia caused by heading the ball could reach £1billion, campaigners have warned.

Now relatives, including the son of England World Cup winner Nobby Stiles, are calling for more support for ex-players living with dementia.

A 2021 study found that former professionals were three-and-a-half times more likely than the general population to develop dementia.

For defenders, who are likely to have had more head impacts, the difference was almost five times.

Last year, the Premier League and Professional Footballer's Association pledged £1million for former players living with dementia.

Campaigners welcomed the move but warned the game must go further. John Stiles, who lost dad Nobby to dementia in 2020, said:

"Football is swimming in money yet you have players who've given their lives to the game being left without any form of help. It's a scandal."