Heading a football should be restricted in the professional game and banned for those under the age of 18, according to one of the world’s leading experts on brain injuries.
Dr Bennet Omalu discovered the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
The condition has long-term effects and is caused by repeated head trauma.
“It does not make sense to control an object travelling at a high velocity with your head,” Dr Omalu said.
“I believe, eventually, at the professional level we need to restrict heading of the ball. It is dangerous.”
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live’s Phil Williams programme, Omalu added: “No child under the age of 18 should be heading the ball in soccer.
“Kids under the age of 12 to 14 should play a less contact form of soccer which we should develop for them. Kids between 12 and 18 can play but should not head the ball.
“I know this is difficult for many people but science evolves. We change with time. Society changes. It is time for us to change some of our ways.”
An inquest into the death of former England and West Brom footballer Jeff Astle ruled he died from brain trauma caused by heading heavy leather footballs.
He died in 2004, aged 72, after suffering with Alzheimer’s for almost 10 years following his 16-year football career.
On Wednesday, his daughter Dawn repeated calls for the game to investigate possible links between CTE and the heading of footballs.
“This is fact now. We are not just assuming other players may have died of the same illness as Dad, this is now fact,” said Dawn.
Her latest comments come after the death of Rod Taylor, a former wing-half for Portsmouth, Gillingham and Bournemouth, who died in April having suffered from the condition.