# How dangerous is soccer? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 28, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100 "2012-10-28T02:25:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/1 "2012-10-28T02:25:28Z")
It seems like people get injured a lot, from what I’ve seen. Is it really that hard-hitting, as much as American football? ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/2 "2012-10-28T02:29:00Z")
They do get injured a lot, but due to their marvelously elastic bodies, they are usually up and running around again in no time. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/3 "2012-10-28T02:57:00Z")
No, soccer isn’t nearly as dangerous or violent as football. It’s still a physical game, with some contact, but the difference is that in football, there is violent contact on every single play. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/4 "2012-10-28T03:08:25Z")
It can be humerously dangerous if [you are the sheffield wednesday](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZImnubpZnw) goalkeeper when playing against leeds. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/5 "2012-10-28T03:09:53Z")
(by the way the attacker was incarcerated for four months for that, presumably as a deterrence because if he did that to a normal person no way would he be going to prison) ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/6 "2012-10-28T03:18:18Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > (by the way the attacker was incarcerated for four months for that, presumably as a deterrence because if he did that to a normal person no way would he be going to prison) I was hoping you were going to say that the rest of the Sheffield team beat the living shit out of that asshole. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/7 "2012-10-28T03:33:28Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > (by the way the attacker was incarcerated for four months for that, presumably as a deterrence because if he did that to a normal person no way would he be going to prison) He had previously been banned by the courts from going to Leeds matches because of prior offenses and was in violation of that order by even getting on a train to go to the town where they were playing, never mind assaulting Chris Kirkland. I suspect that played a major role in the length of the sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/8 "2012-10-28T11:35:37Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > It can be humerously dangerous if [you are the sheffield wednesday](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZImnubpZnw) goalkeeper when playing against leeds. Heh, soccer players.. they’re so used to flailing about to win free kicks, but he ain’t getting one there. If that bloke had done that to him in a pub, I doubt he would have laid on the floor for five minutes, just would have snotted him. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/9 "2012-10-28T12:19:16Z")
Do we care only about serious soccer, at the professional level? How about kids’ soccer? If it’s the latter, you’d be surprised at how many injuries there are in kids’ soccer, and how severe many of them are. No, you certainly don’t have the kind of deliberate collisions that you get in American football, but because soccer is a sport of constant action (unlike baseball or American football), there are a lot MORE moments and plays where there are opportunities to get hurt. You get a lot of inadvertent kicks (to the shins or elsewhere), and since you’re constantly shifting gears and making quick turns on wet grass or soft turf, there are tons of opportunities for knee and ankle sprains. And among smaller kids who haven’t learned to do “headers” properly, there are a lot of face and head injuries, and a lot of concussions. Soccer isn’t a particular violent or dangerous sport… but i leads to more injuries than soccer moms know (many of whom signed their kids up for that sport precisely because they thought it was the “Safe” choice!). ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/10 "2012-10-28T12:59:46Z")
There can certainly be serious injuries, but the reason you see so many ‘injuries’ at the top level is because soccer players are the biggest floppers in any sport. Massive exaggeration and faked injuries are pretty much the norm from what I can tell. ---
**Author:** ![dimmy\_derko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@dimmy\_derko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dimmy_derko)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/11 "2012-10-28T13:10:03Z")
> [@Jman](#): > > There can certainly be serious injuries, but the reason you see so many ‘injuries’ at the top level is because soccer players are the biggest floppers in any sport. Massive exaggeration and faked injuries are pretty much the norm from what I can tell. You need to watch a few Sunday League pub teams competing. I’ve watched an uncle play in goal for 30 minutes with a gash in his knee that I was glad to see covered in mud, because then I didn’t have to look at it. There was no substitute goalie and he didn’t trust any of the outfield players to do his job. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/12 "2012-10-28T13:10:07Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Do we care only about serious soccer, at the professional level? How about kids’ soccer? > > If it’s the latter, you’d be surprised at how many injuries there are in kids’ soccer, and how severe many of them are. No, you certainly don’t have the kind of deliberate collisions that you get in American football, but because soccer is a sport of constant action (unlike baseball or American football), there are a lot MORE moments and plays where there are opportunities to get hurt. You get a lot of inadvertent kicks (to the shins or elsewhere), and since you’re constantly shifting gears and making quick turns on wet grass or soft turf, there are tons of opportunities for knee and ankle sprains. > > And among smaller kids who haven’t learned to do “headers” properly, there are a lot of face and head injuries, and a lot of concussions. > > Soccer isn’t a particular violent or dangerous sport… but i leads to more injuries than soccer moms know (many of whom signed their kids up for that sport precisely because they thought it was the “Safe” choice!). I played soccer in second grade. I was involved in a head on collision, and was once trampled by my own team. Needless to say, I retired from the sport. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/13 "2012-10-28T13:29:21Z")
Against certain opponents, long hair can be dangerous. (Check 0:35 in [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvEobeNfGcc)). ---
**Author:** ![dimmy\_derko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@dimmy\_derko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dimmy_derko)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/14 "2012-10-28T13:36:54Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Against certain opponents, long hair can be dangerous. (Check 0:35 in [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvEobeNfGcc)). I say, madam! That’s not cricket! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/15 "2012-10-28T14:17:18Z")
Any sport will hurt you, but soccer doesn’t have a massive coverup involving a plague of brain injuries that are killing hundreds, maybe thousands of men young. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/16 "2012-10-28T14:51:44Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Any sport will hurt you, but soccer doesn’t have a massive coverup involving a plague of brain injuries that are killing hundreds, maybe thousands of men young. It may give you brain damage, though: [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/story/health/story/2011-11-29/Heading-a-football-could-lead-to-brain-damage/51463474/1](http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/story/health/story/2011-11-29/Heading-a-football-could-lead-to-brain-damage/51463474/1) ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/17 "2012-10-28T15:01:04Z")
Compared to American Football? Not at all. It is, however, a very physical game. Moreso than basketball. The reason the pros pick up a lot of injuries is because of the constant tackling. Absent a massive injury, the constant tackling wears players down. Also, the game is a very working class sport so you get some hard characters out there. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/18 "2012-10-28T15:44:00Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Any sport will hurt you, but soccer doesn’t have a massive coverup involving a plague of brain injuries that are killing hundreds, maybe thousands of men young. Not a plague, but brain injury is definitely an issue. Heading a soccer ball, especially when it’s wet, is like being punched in the head. There are also head-to-head collisions, which cause most of the concussions in the sport. > **[Neuroscience for Kids - Soccer](http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/soccer.html)** > [@](#): > > Brain Damage > A Norwegian study found that 35% of 69 Division I soccer players had abnormal electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns. This is more than twice the rate of abnormal EEG patterns in control subjects. Retired soccer players had several brain abnormalities including reduced cortical tissue and increased lateral ventricle size. > Neuropsychological Effects > Soccer players also seem to perform more poorly than control subjects on some types of IQ tests and many former players (81%) suffer from problems with attention, concentration, and memory. Players who typically head the ball have also been found to have more neurological problems than non-headers. Compared to goalies and midfielders (“non-headers”), forwards and defenders (“headers”) performed more poorly on some memory, visual perception and planning tests. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/19 "2012-10-28T20:12:21Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Against certain opponents, long hair can be dangerous. (Check 0:35 in [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvEobeNfGcc)). Ouch. Even the Leeds United of the 1970s wouldn’t have stooped so low. ---
**Author:** ![Jaguars](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaguars/32/5879_2.png) [@Jaguars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaguars)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2012, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100/20 "2012-10-29T00:39:25Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Ouch. Even the Leeds United of the 1970s wouldn’t have stooped so low. Ouch. The way her head snaps back is horrific to watch. I don’t think that soccer is as dangerous as the full contact forms of football, but there are still many, many injuries including season ending ones. The local club that I play for probably has about 1 injury every 2 or three games (senior players ranging from 18 - 60) amongst 4 teams. Older players especially are prone to pulling calf, hamstring and groin muscles, and snapped tendons in same. Last season the worst injuries in my team were one player knocked out in a collision and one player broke his tibia and fibula from dirty slide tackle. (The opposition player shoved him over and then slid under him at the ball, catching his shin sideways. The crack was heard across the field. As the teams rushed in, a player of ours who had already been sent off started punching the tackler. Virtually every player diverted to this, leaving our poor injured guy unattended. It was a fairly dirty game.) As a side note, the refereeing in these lowest level games can be alarmingly permissive (and cock-eyed) depending on the ref, who is often a volunteer from one of the teams or just that guy who hangs around the club too much. It’s amusing to see a prima donna player dive and yell blue murder only to be totally ignored by the ref while he tries to keep up with the action. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-dangerous-is-soccer/639100.md?page=2)