England World Cup winner Nobby Stiles’ death linked to heading footballs – court

England World Cup winner Nobby Stiles died with a brain condition caused by repeatedly heading a football, a coroner has ruled.

Stiles, 78, a former Manchester United footballer and 1966 World Cup winner, died with severe dementia and had headed a football around 140,000 times during his career, Stockport Coroner’s Court heard at the inquest into his death.

Expert analysis of his brain showed his severe dementia was as a result of Alzheimer’s disease but also the condition, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which has been associated with head trauma from heading a ball.

Neuro-pathology expert, Dr Daniel Du Plessis told the court: “I’m quite convinced his heading the football that many times has caused his CTE.”

Alison Mutch, senior coroner for South Manchester, asked Dr Du Plessis: “You are saying repeated heading of the ball is the cause of his CTE?”

“Yes,” Dr Du Plessis replied.

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