With a smaller, heavier ball, the game is played on the ground, which means less worry about head injuries
![Futsal: the thinking players game that doesnt hurt the head](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/62b645060ff895a9f3a19c2056bd40e474512bf3/0_204_4189_2514/master/4189.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=434f62ffc2ec49848b1db15c8d8e33e5)
Gone are the days when primary-school children were condemned to wincing, eyes shut tightly in fear, as a heavy leather football smashed against their heads. But despite advances in technology making the balls lighter there is clearly more to be done to safeguard children. In Futsal, a Fifa-sanctioned version of five-a-side football, players use their heads more, even though the ball rarely touches it. Futsal is the thinking player’s game.
Related: Can heading a football lead to dementia? The evidence is growing