And as I'm not a bloke I've no idea, but are a larger proportion of football players going bald compared to the general population and if so, is it to do with heading the ball?
It's a scientific fact, Helen, all bald men have a much larger amount of testosterone pumping through their veins(!) Honest(!) Would I lie(?)
Good savings are an advantage of being bald. Time and money. On a serious note. true story. I've always had a long/ longish hairstyle. And have two cousins who were/are follicly challenged and followed their dad as it seems it can be hereditary. I was glad my Dad still had a full head of hair. Until one day whilst on holiday with him. (He was about 65+ at the time). We were on the beach chilling out, when a strong gust of wind took hold and exposed his comb-over. Me, my elder brother and my sister were gobsmacked to say the least. None of us knew. Thankfully it hasn't passed onto me, I don't think it would suit me lol.
To counteract your argument, defenders tend to head the ball more than strikers/midfielders yet there appears to be more follically challenged players amongst strikers/midfielders than defenders.
@Redhelen Please google images of Noel Brotherston. That will leave you with more queations than answers.
It's wind erosion. The players who regularly race around and cover most ground on the pitch tend to have least hair. The lazy buggers usually have lovely hairstyles, although the sneaky ones shave it really short, in an attempt to disguise their work rate. Goalkeepers always have nice hair - in fact, David Seaman still has a full head of hair, despite being 105 years old.
Aerodynamics innit. Bald players can run faster than those with big hairstyles. The same reason that swimmers and cyclists remove every hair from their legs and arms...
My guess is that its genetics - Balding is hereditary, so maybe theres some genetic advantages for footballers - strength/speed/fitness/co-ordination which also makes them more susceptible to male pattern baldness.