Former England World Cup winner Nobby Stiles died from a brain disease caused by repeatedly heading a football, a coroner in Stockport has ruled, linking the midfielder's severe dementia to an estimated 140,000 headers over his career.
A neuropathological examination found Stiles, who died in 2020 aged 78, suffered from both Alzheimer's disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Neuropathologist Dr. Daniel Du Plessis told the inquest he was "fairly convinced" that heading caused the CTE. A separate inquest in January 2026 found that heading "probably" contributed to brain injury in the death of former defender Gordon McQueen, who was also diagnosed with CTE.
Stiles' family is among dozens of former players and relatives suing the Football Association, the Football Association of Wales, and the English Football League for alleged breaches of duty of care. The FA told the High Court in March 2026 that a link between heading and brain injury remains "not scientifically proven". The association plans to phase out heading in youth training for under-11s by the end of this year.