Zimpapers Logo

LONDON. — The English Premier League soccer’s all-time leading goalscorer Alan Shearer fears he may be at risk of suffering from dementia due to heading footballs during his playing days, calling for more research on the issue. The 47-year-old former England captain, who bagged 260 Premier League goals during an 18-year career, has revealed his fears over his long-term health.

“For every goal I scored with a header during a game, I must have practised it 1 000 times in training,” the former Blackburn and Newcastle player told Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper. “That must put me at risk if there is a link.”

Shearer, who also netted 30 goals in 63 appearances for England, had tests to examine how heading the ball has affected his brain.

“The tests were pretty nerve-wracking,” he said. “I have got a terrible memory. I don’t know if that is because I don’t listen, but I have got a poor memory. — AFP