England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton delivered an emotional homage to her late grandfather as she revealed that he died just two days before the Lionesses’ victorious Euro 2025 campaign began. Hampton’s heroics in the penalty shootout against Spain in Sunday’s final, where she made two crucial saves, were a highlight of an outstanding tournament for the Chelsea keeper. Her efforts paved the way for Chloe Kelly to slot home the decisive penalty, securing the Lionesses’ defence of the title they won at Wembley in 2022.
The 24-year-old was honoured as player of the match following the final, and on Monday, she shared her sorrow that her grandad couldn’t witness her achieve their mutual dream of playing for England in a significant competition. On her Instagram, alongside an image of her green England jersey with “grandpa” inscribed on the neckline, Hampton penned: “Dear Grandpa. Two days before the biggest tournament of my life, you left.
“It still doesn’t feel real. I kept thinking when I’d call nannie I’d hear your voice again – one of your jokes, or one of those little comments you’d make that somehow said everything without saying much at all. You were one of my biggest supporters. You believed in me before I even knew what this journey would look like.
“You were always there: watching, encouraging, teaching. You taught me so much, not just about football, but about life. About staying grounded, working hard, being resilient and doing things the right way.
“I miss our chats. I miss you saying, ‘only us athletes understand’ – always with a little smirk like you were in on something special. And you were. You got it. You understood what this meant to me. You understood what it took.”
Hampton – who had displaced Euro 2022 winner Mary Earps to become Sarina Wiegman’s number one keeper – faced big expectations in Switzerland, especially following Earps’ surprising international retirement announcement in May. That left Hampton supported by two inexperienced deputies in Khiara Keating and Anna Moorhouse.
Her performances throughout the competition were nothing short of spectacular, from her brilliant assist that set up Lauren James’ strike against the Netherlands during the group phase to courageously continuing despite a bloodied nose during their quarter-final penalty shootout victory over Sweden.
Hampton maintained England’s hopes for the full 120 minutes of the final before successfully stopping Women’s Super League player of the season Mariona Caldentey, followed by consecutive Ballon d’Or recipient Aitana Bonmati, during the decisive shootout.
Throughout her career, Hampton has consistently silenced her critics. Had she heeded the medical professionals who identified her eye condition affecting depth perception, she may never have pursued football, particularly goalkeeping.
On Sunday, she definitively silenced her doubters. “It breaks my heart that you didn’t get to see me walk out for our country at my first major tournament,” she continued. “Something you dreamed of for me, something we talked about so many times. I wanted to see your face or hear your voice after the game calling back home. I wanted to share that with you.
“But I know, deep down, you were still there. I felt you with me. In the tunnel. On the pitch. In the tough moments. I heard you in my head when I needed strength. I hope I made you proud, Grandpa. I carried you through every minute, and I always will. I did it. We did it.”