Study: Former Elite Soccer Players Report Midlife Cognitive and Mood Issues

New research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference® (AAIC®) 2026 in London on July 12, 2026, provides key insights into the brain health of former elite professional soccer players. The study, the first and largest of its kind, compared reported neurological symptoms and brain status in players against individuals with no history of repetitive head impacts.

Among the reported symptoms, former players experienced significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety, alongside subjective difficulties with thinking and decision-making. MRI scans identified differences in brain structure between the players and a comparison group of healthy individuals. These findings align with a growing body of research investigating the long-term impact of soccer play on brain health.

“These findings suggest that measurable effects on brain health may exist in former elite soccer players by midlife, before neurodegenerative diseases would typically become clinically apparent,” said Caleigh Grace Lynch, M.Sc., lead author of the study and research technician at Imperial College London. “While we did not find significant differences in objective cognitive tests, we did observe clear differences in symptoms and brain structure.”

The study involved 142 former professional soccer players and a control group of 56 healthy individuals. Results indicated that former players reported significantly more symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as poorer performance in planning, concentration, and problem-solving. Nearly one-third of former players showed clinically significant depressive symptoms, compared to 9% of the control group.

Brain imaging revealed reduced gray matter volume in several brain regions among former players compared to the control group, including the frontal, cingulate, and thalamus areas, critical for memory, attention, decision-making, and emotional regulation. Researchers also reported evidence of reduced brain volume on a group level in soccer players.