A full inquest will be held into the death of Nobby Stiles, a key player in England's 1966 World Cup triumph, after an investigation revealed he died from a traumatic brain injury. The preliminary inquest was told that the former Manchester United midfielder died from high-stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Stiles' family has expressed the belief that heading the ball throughout his career led to his death. This follows a similar posthumous diagnosis for former Scotland and Leeds United defender Gordon McQueen, who also suffered from CTE.
Coroner Chris Morris ruled that a full inquest is required due to the traumatic element identified in the cause of death. The inquest is scheduled to take place next week at South Manchester Coroners Court in Stockport.
Stiles, who was known for his distinctive gap-toothed smile and energetic style of play, died in October 2020 in a care home in Urmston, Greater Manchester. He was 78 years old at the time of his passing. His family's subsequent investigations into his death identified three contributing causes: Alzheimer's disease, CTE, and limbic-predominant age-related encephalopathy (LATE) along with small vessel cerebral vascular disease.
Stiles' death has brought renewed attention to the long-term health effects of football, particularly concerning head injuries. He was a combative midfielder and a vital part of the England squad that won the World Cup on home soil in 1966. He famously celebrated the victory on the pitch with the Jules Rimet trophy in one hand and his false teeth in the other.
Several other members of the legendary 1966 England squad have also passed away, many after long illnesses or battles with conditions like dementia and cancer. These include Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Martin Peters, Roger Hunt, Jack Charlton, Bobby Moore, and Ray Wilson. Geoff Hurst, the hat-trick hero of the final, is reportedly the only surviving member of that iconic team.