Head trauma analysis of laboratory reconstructed headers using 1966 Slazenger Challenge and 2018 Telstar 18 soccer balls.

Retired soccer players are presenting with early onset neurodegenerative diseases, potentially from heading the ball. It has been proposed that the older composition of soccer balls places higher strains on brain tissues. The purpose of this research was to compare the dynamic head response and brain tissue strain of laboratory reconstructed headers using replicas of the 1966 Slazenger Challenge and 2018 Telstar 18 World Cup soccer balls.