Mortality of Spanish soccer referees and coaches: a retrospective cohort study.

There is evidence that elite soccer players live longer than general population, but there is no information on soccer coaches and referees. We aimed to analyze the longevity of both professionals, comparing them with soccer players and with general population. In this retrospective cohort study, a total of 328 male Spanish soccer coaches, 287 referees, and 1230 soccer players, all born before 1950, were divided in two cohorts, matched 2:1 with coaches and referees.

Mortality of Spanish Former Elite Soccer Players and Coaches.

We analyzed whether male Spanish elite soccer players live longer than the general population. Secondly, we compared their mortality with a cohort of soccer players who continued working as soccer elite coaches after retirement. Using age and calendar-date adjusted life tables, we analyzed the mortality hazard ratio of 1333 Spanish male players born before 1950, and who played in elite leagues from 1939, compared with the Spanish population.