Athlete Voices Full interview
Paul Wade
The Difficult Things
An honest conversation about football, repeated head impacts and life beyond the final whistle.
Former Socceroos captain Paul Wade talks with The Long Game about his experiences in football and why brain health matters in sport.
01 Context
About This Conversation
This interview is an opportunity to hear directly from Paul Wade, in his own words, about his football career and his life since leaving the professional game.
In July 2026, Paul publicly shared that he has been diagnosed with probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). A probable diagnosis is made by doctors during life, based on symptoms and clinical assessment. CTE can currently only be definitively confirmed by examining brain tissue after death.
Paul's experience is one person's story. Exposure to repeated head impacts does not mean an athlete will develop CTE, and researchers are still working to understand who is at risk and why.
We share this conversation so that athletes, parents and coaches can reflect on life beyond a playing career, and on why head injuries in sport deserve to be taken seriously.
Interviewer: The Long GamePaul Wade
The full transcript is being prepared and will be published here. Listen to the full interview using the player above.
The Conversation Doesn't End Here.
Explore the evidence. Hear more athlete stories. Find practical information about concussion and brain health in sport.