Hannah Hampton reveals message Sarina Wiegman gave England stars before shootout
England hero Hannah Hampton revealed the inspirational message manager Sarina Wiegman sent to the players ahead of the penalty shootout which brought Euro 2025 to a dramatic climax.
The Lionesses edged out Spain 3-1 in the shootout after the game finished 1-1, with Hampton making vital saves from 12 yards.
In tense circumstances it was a measure of revenge for England after losing to Spain in the last World Cup final, while they defended their own European title in the process.
It was yet more resilience from England in this tournament, with Spain taking a first half lead and Wiegman's team having to come from behind just as they did in the quarter and semi-finals.
It was 1-1 after 90 minutes and remained so after extra-time, with the manager speaking to her exhausted players ahead of the penalties.
Hampton revealed what the now legendary manager said at that crunch moment, which ultimately proved successful.
'This is England!' Hampton revealed Wiegman said. 'I think this is our moment.
Sarina Wiegman celebrates with Hampton (Picture: Getty Images)
'We've dug in for the 120 minutes, done what we've needed to do to keep Spain out. It was just one kick and that was it, we did that this time.
'Better pens than the last time, let's be honest!'
Hampton referenced the narrow penalty shootout win over Sweden in the quarter-finals, which came before an extra time win over Italy in the semis.
She said of the most dramatic tournament win: 'This team's just unbelievable, incredible.
'We've shown throughout this tournament we can come back when we go a goal down.
Chloe Kelly made no mistake with the winning penalty (Picture: AP)
'We've got that grit, we've got English blood in us, we never say die and we just keep going and we did that again today.'
Chloe Kelly scored the winning penalty, producing yet another iconic moment in an England shirt, and the goalkeeper admitted that she wasn't even sure that it could have been the final spot-kick.
'I'd completely lost track of what's going on,' she said. 'As soon as I saw her run off I thought that's it we've won.
'I can't believe it, I don't think it's going to sink in for a while.'
It's yet more success for Wiegman and her side (Picture: Getty Images)
It has been an incredible tournament for England after losing their opener to France, with Wiegman admitting she is struggling to get her head round it.
More Trending
'I just can't believe it. I have a medal around my neck and we have a trophy,' she told the BBC.
'It has been the most chaotic tournament on the pitch – all the challenges we had on the pitch against our opponent.
'From the first game it was chaos. Losing your first game and becoming European Champions is incredible. Football is chaos.'
Arrow MORE: Hannah Hampton was told she would never play football due to a serious eye condition
Arrow MORE: Why Beth Mead was allowed to take penalty twice in England's Women's Euro 2025 triumph over Spain
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
Jess Carter admits she was ‘scared' to play Euro 2025 final after racist abuse
England defender Jess Carter admitted she was 'scared' to play in the Euro 2025 final after suffering racist abuse during the tournament as she thanked her teammates for their support. Carter returned to Sarina Wiegman 's starting line-up for the final against Spain and was the only change the England manager decided to make before the Euro 2025 final in Basel. The 27-year-old Carter revealed after England's quarter-final win over Sweden that she had received racist abuse on social media throughout the tournament. She dropped to the bench for the semi-final against Italy, even though Wiegman said Carter was ready to play if needed, but she returned to start the final against Spain. And while Carter was excellent alongside Leah Williamson in defence, as the Lionesses won their second major trophy, Carter revealed she had been apprehensive to play in the final. Carter told ITV: "I was super scared to play today for the first time in my life, but when I woke up and I saw my team, and the support I had and the belief I had from my team-mates, my family and my manager. I knew I could just come out and give it my all. That's all you can do." Carter thanked the support she had received from the England fans and said it gave her the 'courage' to play after suffering racist abuse during the tournament. 'The support I felt from the fans was incredible,' Carter explained. 'I can't thank them enough because without the fans, my team-mates and my family, I don't know if I'd have every had the courage to back on the pitch and play again. 'I'm not normally someone who struggles with the hate they received because everyone is going to have their opinion. But this tournament has been tough and I wasn't sure I'd be able to get back on the pitch and do me. "Everyone of those fans, I'm not ever going to be able to show my thanks enough, but they have been incredible, and I hope they will continue to cheer on the Lionesses every single day." England manager Wiegman explained that starting Carter over Esme Morgan, who had also impressed during the semi-final win over Italy, was a tactical decision but said she had 'belief' in Carter to deliver the performance required. 'Well, first of all, it says something about the team that we can make tactical decision,' Wiegman said. 'I've said a couple of times now that I was really happy, before the tournament, with my squad, and that we had players in the same position that can bring different things, and that was true with Esme and Jess. 'Italy was a different game than Spain and we felt we needed Jess now in the starting line-up, exactly for the reasons that you said, the fight and the duels, she can play, and she showed of course that she is a great personality. 'She was ready to perform, also against Italy, but that was a tactical decision and now we've made a tactical decision. I had all the belief in her and she had the belief in herself, that's the most important thing, that she could contribute to the team and you can tell that the team trusted her too.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Roar to victory: what the papers say about the Lionesses Euro win
On Sunday the Lionesses staked their claim to be considered the greatest English sports team of all time in Basel, battling back from trailing Spain to win a thrilling penalty shootout in the Euros. The UK papers captured the joy across their front pages on Monday. 'Queens of Europe. England make history with Euro 2025 victory,' was front page news at the Guardian. The Mirror dedicated its front and back pages to the win, hailing the 'LionYESes' on the front and the 'Queens of hearts' on the back. Monday's front and back pages are dedicated to the Lionesses - history makers and champions again 🏴 🏆 #TomorrowsPapersToday The Telegraph celebrated 'England's roar of victory' on its front page. The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:England's roar of victory#TomorrowsPapersToday The i praised the team with the splash: 'Queens of Europe! England are champions again – in incredible show of defiance.' Monday's front page: Queens of Europe! England are champions again - in incredible show of defiance#TomorrowsPapersToday 'Golden girl Chloe fires Lionesses to Euros glory … next, a trip to the Palace,' wrote the Daily Mail on its front page. #TomorrowsPapersTodayDaily Mail: Golden girl Chloe fires Lionesses to Euros glory... next, a trip to the Palace. NOW SHUT MIGRANT PROTEST HOTEL. By Martin Beckford and Isaac more at 'Lionesses win Euros … again! Goalie is hero in thrilling penalty shootout,' was the lead story over at the Sun. After the nerve-racking penalty shootout, the paper celebrated goalie Hannah Hampton, with the headline 'The Hann of God', on its front page. #TomorrowsPapersTodayThe Sun: Lionesses win Goalie is hero in thrilling penalty shootout. THE HANN OF GOD. By ROBIN more at The Metro led with the headline: 'You've done us proud! Lionesses take Euros Final to Penalties – 'You were roarsome!' #TomorrowsPapersTodayMETRO: You've done us proud! Lionesses take Euros Final to Penalties – "You were roarsome!"Read more at Meanwhile the Times said: 'Lionesses rise to penalties drama and bring Euros title home.' #TomorrowsPapersTodayThe Times: Lionesses rise to penalties drama and bring Euros title home. Starmer to press Trump on more at
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Williamson believes England's 'vulnerability' aided Euro 2025 victory
The Lionesses came back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with world champions Spain at St. Jakob Park, before defeating them 3-1 on penalties. It saw Williamson lift her second European title as England captain, becoming the only senior England captain to do so on foreign soil. But while buzzwords like resilience and a never-say-die attitude have followed their tournament trajectory, the 28-year-old suggests it was the willingness of her side to open themselves up to a belief in their own ability that proved the real key to success. 'You can have all of those words, and sport has all of those words circulating all the time and then you have people that are brave and put that into action and decide that you're going to go for it,' Williamson explained. 'You leave yourself vulnerable and all of those things. If you really, really try hard and it's not quite enough, that's an awful feeling. 'To put yourself out there like that, the reward is so great and we were brave enough to do it. I think that's the key to the team. 'Sarina [Wiegman] believes in us so much, it's hard not to believe that yourself. She said the same thing as she said before, 'We don't have to win, we want to win, and we're capable of winning so it's up to you girls,' and we did it.' Unbreakable. ✊ England had made a habit of coming back from behind, closing a two-goal deficit against Sweden in the quarter-finals before coming back from 1-0 down against both Italy and Spain. But having lost their opening match against France, England had played must-win football all from the outset and while it may not always have been pretty, they became accustomed to getting the job done. 'It was a hard-fought tournament and after our first game we looked ourselves in the mirror, we knew what we had to do, and we did it, repeatedly,' said Williamson. 'And now we're back-to-back champions and that feels good. 'Thank you to those of you who stuck with us. We'll party for you tonight if you've got work tomorrow and if not, go and enjoy yourselves.' It was club team-mate Alessia Russo who had headed England level, after Mariona Caldentey gave Spain the lead after 25 minutes. A resolute defensive display from Williamson and co kept the scores level and as neither team could find a breakthrough, with Salma Paralluelo's profligacy in front of goal at times England's saving grace, it was to penalties once more. The Lionesses had found their route to success from a shootout against Sweden and would do so again, despite not having favoured penalty takers Russo or Georgia Stanway on the pitch. Instead captain Williamson was one of those to step up, and while she saw her penalty saved by Cata Coll, Chloe Kelly did the bidding to make England Euro 2025 champions. 'I said, 'Really?! I made the cut?'' said Williamson on being picked to take a penalty. 'I struggled the back end of the tournament with an injury and I was very grateful to get through the game. I didn't think it was going to carry me that far, and it did. 'I hit it a little bit too low, I would have gone higher if I could do it again. But on the way back, Chloe said to me, 'Don't worry about it.' If anybody is going to tell me that in a penalty shootout, I'll take it off her.'
