Experts: England World Cup-winning member suffered from a brain disease before his death, related to over 136,000 headers.

According to The Athletic, an investigative hearing revealed that England World Cup-winning player Nobby Styles suffers from CTE, a progressive brain disease caused by at least 136,000 headers in his career.

Styles made 28 appearances for England and nearly 400 for Manchester United. He died in 2020 at the age of 78. For many years before his death, he suffered from severe dementia and was diagnosed with chronic traumatic brain disease, or CTE.

His family has been urging football governing bodies to take more measures to protect players from CTEs. On Wednesday, a coroner said she would submit a preventative report to highlight the dangers of repeated headers.

South Manchester senior coroner Alison Murch said her report will be submitted to the Football Association and the Department for Education, which is responsible for the UK school system.

Mouchi said: "I am absolutely certain that the reason Styles developed CTE is because of his repeated heading throughout his career. He would not have developed this condition if he hadn't been heading so many balls."

Mookie also mentioned that it was during England's World Cup semi-final match against Argentina. She acknowledged that Styles is a British sports hero. She said, "Many people remember him because of 1966. It feels special to discuss this on a day like this."

She added: "To many, Mr. Styles is a football legend and a member of the last England team to win the World Cup. He is proud of that history. I believe that if he were here today, he would wish England well and hope they can do it again this year."

The hearing revealed that Styles's iconic dance celebration at Wembley Stadium after England's victory over Germany in the 1966 World Cup final was unforgettable. Conservative estimates suggest he likely headed the ball around 136,000 times during his 17-year career. However, during the three-hour hearing, some suggested the actual number might be significantly higher.

Dr. Daniel Duplercisse, the neuropathologist who examined Styles' brain, stated at the hearing that there was no dispute that repeated heading could lead to CTE. He said, "That's a fact."

According to Duplessis' testimony, Styles' CTE was already a "very late-stage, high-grade disease" that almost certainly caused his physical deterioration through Alzheimer's disease and ultimately contributed to his death.

When the coroner asked him if he thought heading the ball was a possible cause of Styles' brain injury, Duplessis replied, " I would go a step further. I am fairly certain that heading the ball so many times caused his CTE ."

Styles' son, Styles Jr., said: "In a game, a player will head the ball a maximum of 10 times. But I know for sure that my father would head the ball 30, 40 or 50 times a day in training."

He continued, "Conservatively speaking, 40 times a day, 5 days a week, and 10 months a season. Add that all up, and I estimate he's headed the ball 136,000 times."

The coroner stated in his conclusion: "Unfortunately, this had a profound impact on him. At the time, he may not have even realized he was harming himself... nor would he have considered any consequences."

Styles played as a centre-back and defensive midfielder and won the European Cup with Manchester United in 1968. In his later years, he lived with his wife, Kay, just a mile from Old Trafford until he had to move into a nursing home.

His son had previously stated that football "killed" his father and called it "an ongoing scandal." He also runs the "Football Families Seeking Justice" organization, warning of the dangers of repeated headers and demanding that football governing bodies take more action to address the issue.

At the hearing, an emotional Stiles Jr. explained that the family had a “sense of impending doom” as his father’s health deteriorated and he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Stiles Jr. was a professional footballer who played for Leeds United, Doncaster Rangers, and Vancouver Whitecaps.

The Athletic has contacted the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) for comment.

Styles also played for Middlesbrough and Preston. After the initial symptoms of Alzheimer's appeared, he eventually sold his World Cup medal. His son explained that he did so to pay for his own medical care. He recalled that in addition to memory loss, his father went through a "terrible" period of anxiety and depression, which later progressed to the point where he needed long-term care.

The hearing comes as dozens of former players and their families are suing the Football Association, the Football Association of Wales, and the Football League, accusing these bodies of “negligence and breach of care obligations.”

In March of this year, lawyers for the Football Association of England stated in the High Court that the possibility of permanent brain damage from a header or "accidental" concussion "has not yet been scientifically proven."

Styles is one of several high-profile cases. Following the deaths of former England international Jeff Astel and former Scotland centre-back Gordon McQueen, related investigations and hearings directly linked their CTEs (Collision Techniques) to repeated headers.

Michael Rawlinson, the barrister representing the Styles family, asked the coroner at Wednesday's hearing to "write to the Football Association and ask them what they intend to do about this?"

Rawlinson stated that preventative measures are necessary to avoid others suffering the same torment. He added, "The situation is changing for schoolchildren," referring to restrictions on headers for young players, "but there's less evidence for adults."