Drive around your town and just SEE how many soccer players there are compared to football ones.
ANY kid can (and probably does) play SOCCER!
At least we are creating droves of future soccer FANS...
https://www.wired.com/story/brain-trauma-scientists-turn-their-attention-to-soccer/
I know of a kid who was hit in the head by a thrown basketball who got a concussion and had amnesia for several days. Hits to the head are not a great idea. As light as those balls are, at 50 mi/h they can ding the head pretty good.