The Athletic ex-player survey - health concerns, head injuries and life after retirement

One in three footballers deliberately set out to hurt an opponent during their playing days, according to a survey by The Athletic which also revealed shocking new evidence about players doping and the dangerous number of times they were made to play on despite suffering head injuries.

More than half say they consider it to be more difficult to be a footballer today, despite all the vast riches within the sport, and 62 per cent explain their reasons by pointing at social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. The survey was conducted anonymously to make it easier for former players to answer truthfully without fear of it being used against them. These included formerchampions and internationals, with 11 per cent of those taking part estimating they would be valued from £40million to £80million or even higher in today’s transfer market.

Three of the players who took part admitted they had taken part in doping at some stage of their career. Two of those said it was unintentional and that it had not been a deliberate attempt to cheat the system. The third, however, admitted to knowingly taking banned substances. In total, there were 35 questions ranging from whether the players wore black boots to their analysis of the two superstars who have dominated the sport for the best part of two decades.

DTathletic Ronaldo's been better more consistently.

DTathletic O way this shit is real.

DTathletic Factos

DTathletic 😂😂😂

DTathletic Check what do the Germany's 280 Bundelsiga players have to say about Ronaldo Messi debate

DTathletic Lol better career lol in their own book 😂 but normaly we know the truth 😂

DTathletic simply more CLs

kusssman DTathletic _screenshoter

DTathletic Athletic needs to be transparent with the sample group here, moreover the sample itself is quite short.

DTathletic Lie!! This is the work of a tristiano penaldo to cover up how bad it is, the truth is, for example, what Cassanno says 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣Cassanno voted

DTathletic

DTathletic 100 Madrid former players 😂😂

DTathletic They interviewed players from Portugal, mind you even Portuguese know that Messi is the best, imagine them giving Messi 34%

DTathletic They gotta keep Ronaldo relevant some way right ? Lmao sad…

DTathletic Lol Ronaldo and all of those 100 former players are way behind Messi I swear!!!! It's clear😂❤️❤️❤️❤️💯faxx

DTathletic Pspn will not repost this if it was messi they would have posted 15 posts about it eh? ESPNFC

DTathletic 100 former portugal players*

DTathletic Here is a better one

DTathletic Ronaldo career a lot more difficult as well

DTathletic But… Messi can pass better

DTathletic Goat CRİSTİANO

DTathletic Better career? Sound more like Messi is judged by what we expect from him rather than what he brings to the game. Messi is a victim and f his own greatness.

DTathletic A survey paid by Cristiano Ronaldo has no credibility. 🤷‍♀️

DTathletic 🤡🤡🤡

DTathletic Better career 🐐 its only CRISTIANO RONALDO 🇵🇹 🏆 This is something everybody knows but they would never ever ever agree to it coz of Fanboy-ism lol

DTathletic Wtf is this nonsense 😂😂😂

DTathletic who are thos 100 former players?

DTathletic 66% said Ronaldo had the better career, but 75% said they would rather play with Messi. Which do they think is the better football player? 🤔

DTathletic Let's go world cup! :)

MKfnbr DTathletic lmfao

DTathletic Anyone who wanted see how paid pr team works ...you can see here its perfect example..

DTathletic Even messi wishes he had the diverse career of Ronaldo, that’s just how it is

DTathletic Como si lo hubiera dicho Maradona. Me da lo mismo lo que opinen los jugadores. Esto no es ni siquiera un debate. Messi ha sido de los mejores de la historia, tal vez el mejor, Cristiano no entra en esa lista. Y cada vez que los comparáis, insultáis al fútbol.

DTathletic abhineet_3 thakurijul

DTathletic Who are the 34% voting for Messi on this lol,

DTathletic Who are the 34% voting for Messi on this lol,

DTathletic Who are the 34% voting for Messi on this lol,

DTathletic Why they had copa America every year. They destroy once a great competition just for Messi to win.

DTathletic Messi fans are crying 😂😂😂😂

DTathletic Names of those clowns

DTathletic Shit........Ronaldo hasnt even been to a world cup final

DTathletic LFC_Wajid 😂😂😂

DTathletic Gonna bookmark this and ....see these mf after wc

DTathletic American talks football 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

DTathletic Desperate to give Ronaldo praise after his abysmal performances this season 🥴 Biggest PR merchant of all time. Messi is by far the better footballer and has had a better career. More trophies,more Ballon Dors,more Golden Boots, more awards, more records, more World Cup finals

DTathletic DTathletic is from Manchester. Buddies with Fergie. this is definitely Cristiano Ronaldo PR

DTathletic The former player:

DTathletic The thing people should understand when most people say Messi check it out is because Ronaldo has done them strong thing while they have defeated messi

DTathletic COACH LEGEND : MESSI 🐐🤫

DTathletic MARADONA:MESSI 🐐🤫

DTathletic PELE :MESSI 🐐🤫

DTathletic Legend players : Messi 🐐🤫

DTathletic COACH REAL MADRID TALK ABOUT : MESSI 🐐 🤫

DTathletic NnaemekaCFC something to bless your TL. Early morning tea😂😂😂 ☕

DTathletic But Ganesh from India doesn't rate Ronaldo 😭

DTathletic Can you tell us Those FORMER PLAYERS name?

DTathletic This is the funniest thing i have ever seen today.

DTathletic Jyotishman7 Ouch, unfortunately goal contribution stats and performances against noobies/farmers are going unnoticed.

DTathletic people seriously believe when Athletic says they actually weighed the opinions of 100 football players😭😭

DTathletic Messi ain't rated 😭

AmSZN_ DTathletic _screenshoter white

DTathletic Hahaha whenever Ronaldo goes down, there’s something to console him..This can never clear doubts, no player on earth is , was or has been better than Messi..This is a retirement farewell 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣Let laugh at Ronaldo and his fans 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂🤣😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

DTathletic Common W from people with ball knowledge.

DTathletic Didn't know Ronaldo started working as an editor for The Athletic.

DTathletic Athletic speaking well about Ronaldo🤯🤯

DTathletic Greatest of all time ❤️🐐

DTathletic How much did ronaldo pay for this Did he just buy you’re page

DTathletic REASON WHY CRISTIANO RONALDO IS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

DTathletic Bodied media's pride merchant

DTathletic rmzatr bodied Pessiun media golden boy

DTathletic Lmao. Who did you interview? Most of the legends and experts including most of Ronaldo's ex teammates say messi is the best player ever.

DTathletic Name those pro athletes bruhh why are you hiding name I want to confirm

DTathletic sorry to see that the survey was a failure

DTathletic Show me your former players first, then we will discuss about a 6 years old American news want to make a boom! Don't tell me these are your former players 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

michelafca_ DTathletic U dont know football if u think ronaldo is a better player then messi

DTathletic you should've waited before tweeting Messi's payment would reach u soon

TFo091 DTathletic Messi has more awards and trophies lol what is this

DTathletic 💯🍾😆🫵🥂🎉👌👏

DTathletic Those 100 former players must be from Portugese league

DTathletic Ronaldo had a better career and it’s really not that debatable. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that Ronaldo was the better player

DTathletic King Ronaldo🐐

DTathletic Stepfem

DTathletic FIFA knows it also

DTathletic Game recognises game

DTathletic Clear

DTathletic Siiiiii

DTathletic Siiiiiii

DTathletic اخواني لقد تسرعنا في الحكم علي افضل مؤسسة في العالم _VEJETA

DTathletic CR7𓃵 the Best by far

SCCR DTathletic bryan_shang 5k0n6ngbr16n… still breathing?

DTathletic English newspapers are notorious for their lies and deceit. The world knows who is the real best without reference to a mock referendum.

DTathletic is smoking some really good grasses with those 'over 100 former players'

DTathletic L0ne_10 Meinungen?

DTathletic Goatnaldo 💯

DTathletic We all know this alr

DTathletic But 'mythical penduism' on Twitter dot com told me that only Madrid and united fans think ronaldo is the goat

DTathletic FACTOS

DTathletic Another question in the survey: Who would you rather play with & depend on? ✅ Messi: 73% ❌ CR7: 27%

DTathletic Everyone knows Messi is a small team statpadder and CR7 is the team's head so different if u deep it tbh . Their diff so

DTathletic Greatest One and Only Cr7

DTathletic I guest ths is coming from english former players

DTathletic tbh there only a few at TheAthletic who hate on ronaldo

DTathletic this is why Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro is the GOAT 🐐

DTathletic lmao ronaldo has always been clear aint even a debate

DTathletic All-time records Big game performances Greatest Champions League Player Best Player in top 3 Leagues Tooka country Portugal to glory Records against best teams, goalkeepers and defenders Idolized by the best players from next generation Says it all 🐐

DTathletic

DTathletic Bahahah what is this? Most famous managers and players already had their say and Messi clears

DTathletic Definitely Ronaldo. Messi's career is basically blank without Xavi and Iniesta.

DTathletic GOAT is GOAT.

DTathletic mvsrapp

DTathletic 🤷‍♂️

DTathletic O God no Ronaldo slander this time

DTathletic Cringiano Rapinaldo's career should be in Jail

DTathletic Ahmerd_habib son_of_habiib_

DTathletic W 🔥

DTathletic Rare W

CristianoXtra_ DTathletic Nathan30289298

DTathletic ColantuoniEnzo

DTathletic Fact though,he had d Better career

arielipillo DTathletic Ronaldo is footballers’s favorite Messi is PR favorite. Factos!

DTathletic but rashij from india on twitter will tell you Journalist voting for Messi means he had a better career

edersznpxced DTathletic wow stating the obvious. CR7 CLEARS ANYONE

DTathletic Who paid you not to slander cristiano today

DTathletic Cr7

DTathletic Wow no Ronaldo slander I’m surprised

RealGOA7 DTathletic Goat 🐐 cr7

DTathletic Holy shit Athletic posting something bout Ronaldo that isn’t slander ?

DTathletic Athletic with something positive about CR7 😳

DTathletic The FOOTBALL PLAYERS KNOW THE TRUTH,,,MESSI a FIFA PROTECTED,,playing with STAR TEAMS and ELITE PLAYERS,,,CRISTIANO RONALDO EVERY SACRIFICE TO BE THE BEST FOOTBALL PLAYER IN THE WORLD

CristianoXtra_ DTathletic alexqtorres

DTathletic If this was based on longevity alone maybe but the numbers should be a bit close, no?

DTathletic Messi had a better career overall. But it’s still a disappointment when you consider he had stacked teams in the World Cup and still came up short. Ronaldo never had that type of quality on the world stage.

DTathletic The Ronaldo Messi numbers are insane. Just goes to show you how bad formers players are at analysis

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