Sports Gazette

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Chelsea’s Greta Humphries: “Diabetes made me into the footballer I am”

November 14, 2024

Greta Humphries may not be a household name yet, but given her career trajectory, it may only be a matter of time.

Humphries signed her first professional contract with Chelsea in the summer of 2024, having come through the club’s academy. The centre-back previously represented Tottenham Hotspur, who she joined at youth level, before securing her dream move to the Blues’ academy at age 16.

What sets the 19-year-old apart from her peers is that she has type 1 diabetes, which she was diagnosed with at age five. The condition causes her blood sugar to be too high because the body cannot make a hormone called insulin.

Although the diagnosis could have presented a barrier to pursuing her ambitions, instead, it has shaped her path into professional football.

“As an athlete, my diet and lifestyle has to be healthy, and diabetes has always kept it this way. I often think that my diabetes has made me into the footballer I am,” Humphries exclusively told the Sports Gazette.

Greta schooled her peers on the playground

A young Greta Humphries wearing her future club’s colours

“While it was always my dream to play for Chelsea, as it’s the club my family and I support, I can’t say that as a child I knew I was going to sign for them. At that age, I was just desperate to have fun and play football with my friends,” Humphries continued.

My earliest memory of Greta was when I started my first job in education as a learning support assistant. I was on playground duty by the football cage, where a chaotic game of football was in full flow.

In and among the crowd of boys was one girl with shoulder-length blonde hair, who was getting stuck into the action on the concrete pitch. Not only was she a bundle of energy, but she possessed a fierceness and clear determination to be better than the boys at age nine. 

Greta did not have a care in the world apart from that round ball. Furthermore, the fact that she was the only girl playing football was not a thought that entered her mind. On closer inspection, I noticed that she was playing with a pump which was attached to her while she played. 

Type 1 diabetes does not bring barriers to playing football

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“I am still using the insulin pump, which has been greatly useful to me and helped me control my blood sugars all the time. I take it off while I train and when I’m playing, otherwise it would get damaged, and I don’t really want it in the way,” Humphries added.

”The most important part of managing my diabetes as a footballer is checking my bloods regularly and keeping them stable, especially in the lead up to a game.

“Diabetes doesn’t really bring any barriers with my training, as it’s well managed. However, there have been times when my blood sugars have been low, and I’ve simply had to step out of training just for 10 minutes until my blood sugar is recovered.

“Luckily, I’ve always had a pretty good support system in doctors and physios at both Chelsea and Bristol, who give me the support I need to ensure I’m fit to play.”

Footballers playing with type 1 diabetes

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According to Diabetes UK, an estimated 5.6 million people in the United Kingdom live with diabetes. Of this number, 8% have type 1 diabetes, which equates to around 480,000 of the population.

Greta makes up a small number of diabetic professional footballers. In the men’s game, Nacho is the most well-known player to play with the condition, but in the English game it is much harder to find players who have openly talked about their diagnosis.

Barrow’s Niall Canavan and Harrogate’s Jack Muldoon have both opened up on their experiences of playing with diabetes, but in the top two tiers of the men’s game, there are no known players who have the condition.

In the women’s game, Andrea Pereira and Antonia Göransson are the highest profile players to have spoken publicly on playing with diabetes. However, in the top two divisions of the women’s game, there are no players to have spoken out.

This could mean that Humphries is the only player in the top two tiers of women’s football to be playing with diabetes.

Bristol City loan and message to young players

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Humphries is currently enjoying a loan spell at Championship side Bristol City. While the teenager has hefty career ambitions, she is relishing the experience.

“This loan spell is very important to me. Getting vital game time at a senior level is what a loan is all about. The environment is great, our coaches are excellent, and I’m surrounded by players with experience playing in the WSL, international level and the Championship. I’m grateful to be able to do that in such a welcoming and highly ambitious club.

“My message to any young girls or boys with diabetes is to not let it hold you back. Whatever your goals are in life, if you handle your diabetes well enough, it should never be a barrier. “

Although there are few role models in football playing with diabetes, the message from the potential future Lioness is clear: diabetes can shape you, not break you.

Feature photo credit: Darren Walsh (Chelsea FC)

Author

  • Alex Charlton

    Alex spent seven years as a primary school teacher and one as a head of year before travelling around Latin America. With a keen interest in football, tennis and darts, he currently works as an EFL and Sunderland club writer for Football League World. Alex loves telling a story and is relishing the opportunity to write about key issues.