World Cup-winner Stiles' death linked to heading footballs, coroner rules

England 1966 World Cup winner Nobby Stiles died with a brain condition caused by repeatedly heading a football, a coroner has ruled.

Stiles, a former Manchester United midfielder, died almost six years ago aged 78 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.

Norbert 'Nobby' Stiles, born in Collyhurst, Manchester in 1942, was a tough-tackling defensive midfielder, capped 28 times by England and played nearly 400 times for Manchester United.

Stiles, who lived in Stretford, south Manchester, died in a care home on October 30, 2020, having been left bed-bound by his severe dementia.

In January 2024 his family raised the possibility of CTE as contributing to his death and Dr Du Plessis examined brain tissue samples to reach his medical conclusions.

Stiles' family have been campaigning for football authorities to do more to help ex-players cope with injuries they claim were caused during their playing days.