Drake Football Study
Football's 10-Year Player Health Project
As part of its commitment to player health, FIFPRO is coordinating an unprecedented 10-year study to yield new insights into the health of footballers. Over a decade researchers will gather regular epidemiological information from 170 men's and women's players in various countries.
Drake Football Study: What the players say
Drake Football Study: What to Know
FIFPRO research shows that more than one in three active professional footballers suffer from mental health symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, disturbed sleep and distress during their often short but intense careers.
Coordinated by FIFPRO, the Drake Football Study is seed-funded by The Drake Foundation and supported by Amsterdam University Medical Centers, the Mehiläinen Hospitals in Helsinki and Turku, Finland and Push Sports in Maastricht, the Netherlands.
Former footballers are also more likely to suffer from the effects of deteriorated knee joint cartilage. What's more, in cardiovascular health, there have been a series of devastating sudden deaths of apparently-healthy professional footballers. The study also aims to explore neurocognitive decline and a possible link to concussion.
