An Unprecedented Step: Italian Club Bans Heading the Ball
The Italian football club Como, playing in the first division, has announced a complete ban on heading the ball in its youth academy for younger age groups to prevent brain injuries. The initiative is led by former player Raphaël Varane.
The Italian football club Como, which competes in the Italian first division, has announced the implementation of an innovative and groundbreaking program in its youth academy. As part of the new policy, the club has decided to completely ban heading the ball in younger age groups. This step is intended to reduce the risk of cumulative brain damage and concussions at ages where the brain is still in critical stages of development.
The initiative is led by former defender of the French national team, Real Madrid, and Manchester United, Raphaël Varane. The defender, who retired from active play while at Como and currently serves as a member of the club's educational board, shared his personal experience regarding the dangers of head injuries:
"From my personal experience, when I was 16, I suffered two severe concussions, and therefore I was very aware of the risk."
Varane added that during his career, he met medical professionals from whom he learned a great deal about the long-term consequences of these types of injuries.
"The brain is still growing"
In his official statement on behalf of the club, Varane emphasized the importance of protecting young athletes: "I have spoken several times in the past about the need to treat head injuries in football seriously, and about the absolute need to protect our children." Varane explained the logic behind the gradual approach: "For young players, the best approach is clear rules, proper training, understanding, and spreading a culture where well-being and safety are the top priority. This path reduces unnecessary contact at the youngest ages, when the brain is still growing, and then teaches the skill in the right way, step by step, with appropriate control."
According to the club's new outline, children's teams up to age 11 will not head the ball at all — not in training and not in official matches. Instead, corner kicks will be restarted with a low pass on the grass, and throw-ins will be performed as a low foot pass. Starting from age 12, players will be exposed to the heading technique cautiously and gradually: practice will be limited to at most once a month, using light rubber balls and with a ceiling of up to 5 headers per player per training session.
Coaches will use this to improve technique
Beyond the health aspect, the club notes that the change is expected to improve the technical and tactical abilities of the young players. Coaches will place greater emphasis on time of contact with the ball, control with the feet, scanning the pitch, and quick, calm decision-making under pressure. Como thus joins a growing trend in Europe, following football associations like those in England and France that have begun to impose similar restrictions on heading in youth age groups.
