England Goalie Hannah Hampton Defies Medical Odds to Excel in Euro 2025

Hannah Hampton, the Chelsea player who became England's first-choice goalie in May after Mary Earps' retirement, has made a remarkable impact in Euro 2025, saving crucial penalties against Spain and Sweden.

Hampton's achievement is all the more impressive given that she was born with strabismus, or a squint, which affects her depth perception. Despite undergoing three operations by the age of three to correct the misalignment, Hampton still struggles to judge distances.

Prof Jugnoo Rahi, an ophthalmic epidemiologist at the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, explains that impaired depth perception can affect finer perception tasks. However, people with limited depth perception can learn to adapt using other cues.

Hampton has certainly learned to compensate for her condition. She has developed a keen sense of anticipation and hand-eye coordination, which allows her to make incredible saves. Her ability to read penalty takers' body language and subtle cues may also be an asset.

According to Prof Daniel Memmert's book "The Penalty Kick: the Psychology of Success", goalies can use various tactics to gain an advantage. These include making themselves big and creating the illusion of more space in one corner. Hampton's success may be due in part to her ability to pick up on these cues and use them to her advantage.

Despite facing numerous challenges throughout her career, including countless injuries and medical setbacks, Hampton has persevered and become one of England's most valuable players. Her determination and skill have inspired fans and proved that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.

In fact, Hampton's penalty-saving record is perhaps even more impressive given that doctors told her she wouldn't be able to play football due to her eye condition. But she persevered and made a conscious effort to alter her hand position after countless bloody noses and broken fingers from stopping the ball too near her face.

29 July 2025 13:08 By London Health News Desk