England rugby hero Steve Thompson has revealed his early-onset dementia means he sometimes forgets the names of his own children.
The 46-year-old has boxed away his medals, trophies, and other mementos after being diagnosed with early-onset dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in 2020 at just 42. The diagnosis left him grappling with suicidal thoughts.
Thompson opened up in a new TNT documentary, titled ‘Unbreakable: England 2003’, detailing the devastating impact rugby has had on his mind.
In an emotional conversation with former teammate Phil Vickery at his Cheshire home, the devoted father of four spoke candidly about his struggles.
Pointing to photos of his children, Seren, Slone, Saskia, and Saxon, with Thompson struggling to recall their names.
Vickery then asked him about his memories from the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
“It’s weird,” Thompson admitted. “There’s nothing there. I can’t even remember being in Australia. The whole lot is gone. My life, everything around then, is just not there.”
When asked about events after the tournament, like the open-top bus parade or the visit to the palace, Thompson shook his head.
“No, nothing. It’s just not there. My life has turned upside down — getting lost, memory issues, and anger issues,” he said.
He added: “I went through a massive guilt stage for the kids and Steph. Then I’ve been close to suicide. You feel like you’re the most selfless person if you went.
“When I see myself or see the other lads, I feel like a phoney in a way. Like it wasn’t me that was there. Like, I didn’t do it.”
Despite these struggles, Thompson remains a rugby icon, playing in all but one of England’s matches during their 2003 World Cup-winning campaign. Remarkably, he had only made his England debut a year earlier against Scotland.
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Growing up on a tough Northampton estate and working as a doorman, Thompson developed a fearless attitude. However, in a heartbreaking moment with Vickery, he admitted he regrets the career he once cherished.
“If I had my time again, I wouldn’t do it,” Thompson said. “I’d much rather just go and work on a building site, have a normal life.
“The way I look at it, that was our job. We got asked to do that, and you do it to the best of your ability. You don’t question anything. And that’s why we probably did as well as we did.”
He cannot recall his first concussion or his last, only that throughout his illustrious career, he experienced ‘the white dots’ almost every week.
Thompson’s career included nine years at Northampton Saints, where he made 195 appearances. He was a key player in England’s World Cup triumph in 2003, starting in the final against Australia.
After Jonny Wilkinson’s iconic drop goal secured victory, Thompson and the team received OBEs from Queen Elizabeth II — another memory he cannot recall.
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While some teammates retired after 2003, Thompson continued playing, even participating in the 2011 World Cup despite breaking his neck in 2007. His 13-year professional career came to an end after another neck injury in 2011.
In 2020, Thompson joined a group of players suing rugby’s governing bodies, alleging negligence for failing to protect players from head injuries.
The case, involving prominent names including Michael Lipman and Alix Popham, is ongoing, with a trial date expected in 2025.
Thompson told The Guardian in 2020: “I don’t want the game to stop, but it’s just everyone at the top looking down, saying the main asset of this lovely game is the players. We’ve got to make sure we treat them like that.
“We treat them like bits of meat to train and do what we tell them to do, and when they’re no good we get rid of them, that’s what happens”.
He has since become the first athlete to pledge his brain for research into brain trauma like CTE.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain in April, Thompson criticised rugby authorities, saying: “World Rugby says it’s our number one priority looking after the players, they’re just about to put in another world tournament for clubs.”
The TNT documentary captures Thompson’s journey, his family’s struggles with his diagnosis and his advocacy for making rugby safer as well.
The documentary uses unseen archive footage and features contributions from Thompson’s teammates Martin Johnson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jonny Wilkinson, Paul Grayson and Jason Robinson as they reflect on rugby’s transition into the professional era, winning their sport’s highest honour and as well as the challenges they faced after the game.