The football world has been shaken by the recent revelation that Dean Windass, a former Premier League star, has been diagnosed with stage two dementia. The news was first disclosed on the BBC Breakfast television program by former Manchester United player David May, who discussed the link between elite football and CTE, a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head trauma. Later, Windass himself confirmed his diagnosis on social media, adopting a humorous tone. “I’m glad they at least found a brain,” he quipped, adding, “It’s just to keep smiling and to help others,” in a video he posted.
Dean Windass,now 55,played for several clubs between 1990 and 2009,including Bradford,middlesbrough,and Hull in the Premier League. Known for his toughness on the pitch,he scored the goal that propelled Hull to the top flight for the first time in 2008. His son, Josh, currently plays in the Second Division with Sheffield Wednesday. Now, Windass is in the second phase of dementia, a condition that progresses through four stages.
The diagnosis of Windass adds to a growing list of former footballers who have suffered from dementia. Soccer England has been rocked by several such stories in recent years. Five of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning heroes, including brothers Bobby and Jackie Charlton, contracted the disease after their careers. Liverpool’s Terry McDermott and Manchester United’s Scot Gordon McQueen, who died in 2023, also suffered from dementia. Former England captain Gareth Southgate has expressed his concern about the long-term effects of an 18-year career in football. In germany, superstars Gerd Müller and Franz Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup gold in 1974, also became demented.
A 2019 study commissioned by the english Football Association FA and the players’ association PFA revealed that footballers are three and a half times more likely than others to develop dementia. For Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, the risk is five times greater. The study, led by brain researcher dr Willie Stewart at the University of Glasgow, identified repeated head trauma as the most common cause. “Not the hardness per se, but that it happens repeatedly over a long period,” the study noted. However, a Swedish study conducted at the Karolinska Institute, published in Lancet 2023, showed a lower risk compared to the English study.In England, the organization FFJ, football Families for Justice, works to support players affected by dementia. Manchester United icon David beckham has given his support to FFJ. “We need to get the football family to come together and allocate resources to draw attention to these devastating diseases,” he said in a video.
| Key Facts | Details |
|—————–|———|
| Dean Windass Diagnosis | Stage two dementia |
| Career Highlights | Played for Bradford, Middlesbrough, and Hull; scored Hull’s promotion goal in 2008 |
| current Age | 55 |
| Son’s Career | Josh Windass plays for Sheffield wednesday in the Second Division |
| Study Findings | Footballers 3.5 times more likely to develop dementia; 5 times greater risk for alzheimer’s |
| Support Organization | FFJ (Football Families for Justice) |
The diagnosis of Dean Windass underscores the urgent need for further research and support for former footballers facing dementia. As the football community rallies to address this issue, the stories of Windass and others serve as a poignant reminder of the long-term impacts of the sport.
Dementia in Football: A Growing Concern – Insights from Dr. Emily Carter
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The football world has been shaken by the recent revelation that former Premier League star Dean Windass has been diagnosed with stage two dementia.This diagnosis adds to a growing list of former footballers suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, raising urgent questions about the long-term impacts of the sport. To shed light on this critical issue, we spoke with Dr. Emily Carter, a leading neurologist specializing in sports-related brain injuries, to discuss the causes, risks, and potential solutions to this growing crisis.
