Sam Gough, Scotland-based captain of England's women's blind football team (the Para Lionesses), is preparing for the 2026 IBSA Women's Blind Football European Championship in Istanbul, beginning Saturday. At 23, she is recognised as one of the world's best strikers despite living with cerebral vision impairment, and her recent partnership with her guide dog Helga has been transformative for her independence and quality of life. Her journey from struggling with basic independence tasks as a child to becoming an elite athlete competing in both blind football and rowing exemplifies perseverance against significant physical challenges.

Gough, who has B1 blind classification, received Helga a year ago and describes the experience as liberating—enabling her to travel independently to training camps without relying on her parents. England's Para Lionesses previously finished runners-up at the inaugural women's European Championship in Italy four years ago (losing to Germany) and at the 2025 World Championship in India (losing to Argentina), making the upcoming European title a significant opportunity. Blind football is a five-a-side sport where all outfield players wear eye masks; players locate the ball through its metal plates, which create a rattling sound, and must shout "voy" before tackling.