The National Football Museum is proud to announce that England’s most capped and decorated blind footballer, Darren Harris is set to be inducted into its Hall of Fame.
The induction will take place on Friday 5 December 2025, at the National Football Museum in Manchester, during the 2025 Para Sport Awards.
Tim Desmond, CEO of the National Football Museum, said: “Darren Harris is a remarkable athlete, and role model. His achievements on the pitch were extraordinary, but it is his impact off the pitch—challenging perceptions, empowering others and championing inclusion—that truly sets him apart.
“We are honoured to welcome him into the Hall of Fame and to celebrate a career that has inspired so many.”
Harris was born in Wolverhampton on 20 June 1973. He was diagnosed with a type of cancer in both eyes known as bilateral retinoblastoma aged fifteen months, which led to a gradual loss of eyesight.He attended New College Worcester, a unique secondary school for individuals who have visual impairments.
Sports became an important outlet for Harris while at New College Worcester, giving him focus and direction. He went to university for mathematics and then worked in the information technology sector.
However, he eventually turned to that which he had found all those years before: football.He made his debut for the England blind football team in 1996, became captain in 2002, and helped the team qualify a place at the Athens Paralympic Games in 2004.However, they were barred from taking part, as the other Home Nations besides England, wouldn’t sanction a Great Britain team to play.
Already owning a black belt in judo, Harris quit his job, switched sports and began training full-time in Judo. He competed at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008.Troubled by injury leading up to the World Championships in 2010 and World Games in 2011, he finished Judo and returned to football to play at the London Paralympic Games in 2012, becoming a Dual-Paralympian.
Across his international football career which spanned over two decades, Harris is England’s most capped blind player, making 157 appearances, scoring 34 goals, and winning ten World and European medals between 1997 and 2019.
Harris was also awarded an Albion Foundation Star for his ‘Outstanding Contribution to West Bromwich Albion Teams’.He is considered to be one of the best strikers in the game, winning the League and Cup trophies three times each and the Golden Boot five times.
Since retiring from competitive international football, Harris has continued to shape sport and society. He has become a respected motivational speaker, performance consultant and inclusion advocate, working with schools, businesses and governing bodies to champion accessibility and mindset development.
Harris also serves as a mentor to young para-athletes, sharing his experiences to help the next generation navigate the challenges of elite sport. His commitment to driving positive change, both inside and outside football, has solidified his status as one of the most influential figures in British disability sport.Upon finding out the news,
Harris will join esteemed company in the National Football Museum Hall of Fame, with fellow England internationals Eni Aluko, Ashley Cole and the Women’s European Championship winning squad of 2025 all being inducted this year.