Heading the ball in soccer is dangerous but the most dangerous part of soccer is going up to head a ball and hitting heads with an opposing player. The occasional header is not as bad as the head to head confrontation or the header drills where the players head the ball over and over as practice.

The studies show soccer players who routinely head the ball have a 10 point lower IQ than those who don't. They also see brain atrophy in soccer p[layer. Brain atrophy is when the brain shrinks.

BTW, You will never recover 100 percent. The statistics and many research studies prove it. The cumulative injury can be catastrophic. My last head bump was very mild. But, it changed my life forever. As my neurologist said. That bump happened after I had already used up all of the recover potential my brain had. Now, I can't drive. No visual or auditory short or immediate memory. No ability to multi-task.

My third concussion was heading a soccer ball when I was 15 yo. Now, I can get a concussion shaking my head "NO".

Been there, done that, won't do it again.