Lewis Moody, a member of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning team, recently revealed his diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND) to the public. Moody, who is 47 years old, first noticed weakness in his shoulder while working out, leading to scans confirming nerve damage in his brain and spinal cord due to MND. Not ready to fully comprehend the implications of his diagnosis, Moody watched his son, Dylan, play for the England U18 team as he embarks on his own international soccer career as a goalkeeper with Southampton.

Dylan, aged 17, made his England debut in September after signing his first professional contract earlier this year. In a recent match against France at St George’s Park, Dylan came off the bench and was part of the winning team, which included the sons of Matthew Upson and Emile Heskey. Lewis Moody expressed pride in his son’s performance on Instagram, describing him as a “little warrior.”

Despite his diagnosis, Moody remains positive and determined to continue living a normal life for as long as possible. While acknowledging the emotional impact of the diagnosis, he emphasized that his symptoms are currently minor, with some muscle wasting in his hand and shoulder. Moody admitted to feeling apprehensive about the future but expressed a reluctance to dwell on it at the moment, choosing to focus on the present.