Lace up, goggles on: How eyewear is helping young footballers

Germany's U17 squad have been spotted wearing these goggles during training.

No, they're not about to go for a group swim - these Swivel Vision Goggles are said to sharpen focus, spatial awareness, and reaction speed on the pitch.

They reduce how much a player can see at any one time.

By limiting a player's field of vision, they are forced to scan their surroundings more quickly and think faster, which helps them make speedy split-second decisions on the pitch, and hopefully get more goals in.

The goggles are said to be very effective for training a goalies' hand-eye coordination.

They limit vision to the left and right which results in maximum focus on the ball.

It also helps strengthen eye muscles and improve reaction time.

The Bayern Munich and Liverpool squad have been using them in training since 2023, and they're often used in hockey and tennis to improve focus.

They're currently only used in training though - they're not designed as protective eye wear so if you have a pair you should only wear them if your coach says so, and definitely not in a match.

What do you think about these goggles? Do you think they could make a difference? Let us know in the comments!