28 Jul 2026 16:56:41
Eds and fellow posters, what do you make of Varane's call for heading to be better regulated and banned for certain young ages?

{Ed001's Note - I thought that had already been done?}

1.) 28 Jul 2026
28 Jul 2026 17:37:00
I could be wrong, but I think the heading policy is only in England, currently set out by the English FA. I believe Varane is talking more within the academy set up for his proposal. He talks a bit more about it being controlled and learnt, as it is a skill rather than banned. This is my understanding of it.

2.) 28 Jul 2026
28 Jul 2026 17:52:30
His rule at Como:
Under-10: Heading is completely banned in training and matches; corners and throw-ins must stay on the ground.
Under-11: Heading remains banned during matches, introduced only near the end of the season, using soft rubber balls.


Under-12: Capped at one heading session per month, with a maximum of five headers.
Under-13: Restricted to training once a week (max five headers), while match heading stays prohibited.

3.) 28 Jul 2026
28 Jul 2026 21:10:30
Arsenal must be nervous about this.

4.) 30 Jul 2026
30 Jul 2026 11:17:42
It makes sense, and it's a shame that it is an ex-player at a club that is installing these rules, and not the FA and football authorities.

There is now a plethora of research to support the dangers of repeated head trauma, particularly on developing brains. All of us can probably think of at least half a dozen times, as kids, where we headed the ball poorly and rattled our heads. Maybe it left you feeling a little dazed for a few seconds.

That happening a few times, while not great, probably won't cause lasting damage. But for a kid in a football academy, particularly a defender or striker, they will have headed the ball tens of thousands of times before they are 18, both in games and in training.

That adds up, and has proven to cause brain issues for professional players.

Kids simply shouldn't be heading the ball. In fact, there is an argument as to whether heading the ball should be part of the senior game long term. If you can't train to head the ball in youth football, then does it make sense to suddenly start heading the ball in senior football when you've never trained on how to do it safely up until that point?