Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton is having a career-defining year, marked by a series of landmark achievements for both club and country. As England’s first-choice keeper, she has been instrumental in the Lionesses’ Euro 2025 campaign, demonstrating reliability and exceptional technical skill. A standout moment was her pinpoint long pass to striker Alessia Russo against the Netherlands, an assist that initiated the play for England’s third goal and drew widespread acclaim.
This international success follows a spectacular 2024/25 season with Chelsea. Hampton was a cornerstone of the team that secured the domestic treble—the Women’s Super League, the FA Cup, and the League Cup—and finished the 22-game season unbeaten. Her 13 clean sheets earned her a share of the Golden Glove award.
Born in Birmingham, Hampton discovered her passion for football after her family relocated to Spain when she was five. Her talent was recognized by a former professional footballer who recommended her for a trial at Villarreal’s academy. Reflecting on that time, she has credited the experience with fostering a close family bond, as they relied on each other in a new country.
Her path to becoming a top-tier goalkeeper was unconventional. After her family returned to England, Hampton joined the Stoke City Centre of Excellence as a striker. At age 12, she filled in for an injured goalkeeper during a match, where an attending England scout noticed her potential and suggested she make the position permanent.
Hampton’s professional career began at Birmingham City in 2016. After five years, she moved to rivals Aston Villa in 2021 before signing a three-year contract with Chelsea during the 2023 summer transfer window. She received her first senior England call-up in 2020 and made her debut in a 0-0 draw against Spain in the 2022 Arnold Clark Cup, a tournament the Lionesses went on to win. She was also a key member of the victorious 2022 Euros squad and the team that finished as runners-up in the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
Hampton’s journey has included overcoming significant personal challenges. She was born with strabismus, an eye condition affecting depth perception that required multiple surgeries as a child. “Me being a goalkeeper shouldn’t really work in theory,” she has stated, noting the difficulty it presents. Now an ambassador for Birmingham Children’s Hospital, she has said, “I was told from a young age that I couldn’t play football… But here I am.”
The goalkeeper also faced a difficult period following the 2022 Euros, when media reports led her to consider quitting the sport. She chose instead to persevere, determined to prove the stories wrong. “You can’t let all the media scrutiny win,” she told the BBC. “I wanted to show who I am as a person… I think I can say that I’ve proven people wrong.”
Off the pitch, Hampton is fluent in Spanish and knows sign language, and is actively learning conversational phrases in the native languages of her Chelsea teammates to improve communication. A skilled pianist, she uses the instrument to de-stress. She also enjoys cycling, sometimes to the concern of her coaches, and cites former England goalkeeper Carly Telford as a major inspiration.
Hampton has spoken about the importance of managing pre-game nerves, which she says typically dissolve after warm-ups. She encourages fans to unite behind the national team during major tournaments. “You forget about the club rivalries… you’re just there to support the nation,” she said. “We hopefully will go and do you proud.”
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