Hannah Hampton claims England gloves as Euro 2025 looms

Hannah Hampton walked into St Jakob-Park this week with the quiet confidence of a keeper who knows her moment has arrived. On Saturday the 23-year-old will start against France and, barring injury, she will hold the gloves for England’s entire European title defence. It marks a remarkable climb for the kid from Birmingham who once had to battle partial deafness and academy rejection before Chelsea signed her last summer.

From Midlands prodigy to Chelsea’s safe hands

Born in Solihull, Hampton learned her craft at Stoke City before joining Birmingham City aged 16. Her reflexes and distribution caught the eye during relegation scraps, yet it was the move to Aston Villa in 2021 that showcased her ability to dominate a box. Chelsea pounced in 2023, and under Emma Hayes she has tightened positioning, improved footwork and recorded a league-best 82 percent save ratio.

Hannah Hampton wins Lionesses No.1 battle

England boss Sarina Wiegman prizes calm under pressure. Hampton’s ball-playing style suits Wiegman’s preference for building from the back, and a string of assured Nations League displays sealed the decision. Ten caps, six clean sheets and an average pass completion of 78 percent convinced the Dutch coach that the future starts now.

Mary Earps’ shock retirement – the inside story

Mary Earps leaves an enormous legacy: Euro 2022 champion, World Cup Golden Glove, back-to-back FIFA awards. But the 32-year-old endured a turbulent domestic season that culminated in contract uncertainty at Manchester United and a shoulder complaint. Sources close to the camp say Earps felt her body “needed a pause” and retirement, announced in March, was her call—freeing Hampton to step up without a shadow looming.

Stat sheet: Hampton vs Earps

• Save percentage 2023-24: Hampton 82%, Earps 75%
• Goals prevented (xG model): Hampton +6.3, Earps +2.1
• Sweeper actions per 90: Hampton 1.9, Earps 0.8
• Long pass accuracy: Hampton 63%, Earps 48%

The data underline why Wiegman trusts the younger keeper’s distribution and aggression outside the area.

What Hampton adds to England Women’s spine

1. Passing lanes: her clipped balls into midfield unpick high presses.
2. Sweeper timing: she starts 10 metres higher than Earps, enabling a higher defensive line.
3. Set-piece command: at 5ft 9in she is not the tallest, yet improved footwork means she claims 71 percent of high balls, best in the WSL.
4. Dressing-room energy: team-mates praise her “relentless positivity”.

Tactical ripple effects

With Hampton behind them, Leah Williamson and Jess Carter dare to sit on the halfway line. This compresses space, benefits midfield pressers like Georgia Stanway and lets Lauren James receive quicker turnovers. Expect England to look more like Wiegman’s slick Dutch side of 2017 than the counter-punching outfit that won at Wembley two summers ago.

The road to Euro 2025

England open against Wales on 2 July, then meet the Netherlands and hosts France. Hampton is likely to face Vivianne Miedema, Alexandra Popp or Fridolina Rolfö in the knockouts, but Chelsea’s Champions League run has already exposed her to elite finishers. Mentally, she appears unflappable; a penalty save from Sam Kerr in March drew rave reviews from Petr Čech, who labelled her “world-class”.

Primary focus keyword appears, naturally

Hannah Hampton will therefore carry not only her gloves but the hopes of a nation craving back-to-back continental crowns. If she reproduces club form, the Lionesses’ first line of defence could again be their springboard to glory.

Short opinion

Hampton’s elevation feels both brave and overdue. Earps was magnificent, but elite sport moves fast. Backing a modern, proactive goalkeeper aligns England with trends set by Spain and Barcelona. If Hampton stays healthy, she could own the jersey for a decade—and that bodes very well for Euro 2025 and beyond.