WARNINGS AGAINST HEAD INJURIES:
In a major interview with French L’Équipe, Raphaël Varane has opened up about head injuries in football and how it has affected him both on and off the pitch.
Both in the World Cup quarter-final against Germany in 2014 and the one Champions League round of 16 with Real Madrid against Manchester City in 2020, the Frenchman struggled with a concussion just a few days before.
He refers to both matches as among his worst in his career.
Also this season, the 30-year-old has experienced symptoms of concussion, which, among other things, has meant that he has had to sit out a match.
– Earlier this season, I repeatedly headed the ball during a match, and felt abnormally tired for the following days, as well as having some eye fatigue.
– I told the staff, who strongly advised me not to play, and I took a test which caused me to lose the next match.
Varane believes there is a lack of transparency around head injuries in football, and encourages reporting as soon as symptoms arise.
– Recognizing and treating concussions correctly is a big challenge. This is a real health problem, it can even be life-threatening, says Varane.
Tags: game season concussion
