Latest news with #RachelCorsie
Scotsman
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Womens Euro 2025: Fixtures, full TV schedule, England fixtures and full list of BBC pundits
Full details of how to watch this summer's Women's Euro 2025 tournament. Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The highly anticipated Women's European Championship 2025 is now just weeks away, as nations from across the continent gear up for the tournament in Switzerland. Beginning on July 2, the tournament is aiming to smash attendance record's for women's football, with over half-a-million tickets already sold to the event. England Lionesses head to the tournament as defending champions after their memorable success at Euro 2022, and are joined by fellow host nation Wales, who are taking part in their first ever major tournament. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tickets are already close to selling out, with women's football fans desperate tp grab a sight off some of Europe's best women's players, such as Spain's Aitana Bonmati, England's Leah Williamson and Norway's Caroline Graham Hansen. Want to know who is playing when, how to watch and who the confirmed pundits are? Below is a full list* of this year's UEFA Euro 2022 TV schedule and BBC pundits. *ITV are still to confirm which channel some games will be broadcast on. We will update this as and when it is announced by the broadcaster. Who are the BBC pundits for Women's Euro 2025? The BBC has announced its punditry team for the tournament, with Alex Scott, Gabby Logan and Jeanette Kwakye taking host duties. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A host of former footballers will be placed on punditry duties, with the following players confirmed as part as the broadcast coverage: Lionesses Euro 2022 winners Jill Scott, Ellie Roebuck and Ellen White, ex-Lionesses captain Steph Houghton and England's most-capped player Fara Williams. Former Chelsea midfielder Anita Asante will join recently retired Scotland captain Rachel Corsie, former Wales international Katie Sherwood and ex-Germany centre-back Josie Henning. Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers making her punditry debut, alongside from Manchester City, Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers defender Nedum Onuoha. On commentary duties, we have Robyn Cowen, Jonathan Pearce, and Vicki Sparks. Recently retired Scotland Women icon Rachel Corsie will be on punditry duties at the Women's Euros 2025. Cr: SNS Group. | SNS Group Women's Euro 2025 - Full TV schedule Wednesday 2 July - Group A Iceland vs Finland (12:00 PM, Thun) – ITV/ITVX (Channel TBC) Switzerland vs Norway (3:00 PM, Basel) – BBC One/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website Thursday 3 July - Group B Spain vs Portugal (12:00 PM, Sion) – BBC Two/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website Belgium vs Italy (3:00 PM, Bern) – ITV/ITVX (Channel TBC) Friday 4 July - Group C Denmark vs Sweden (5:00 PM, Geneva) – ITV/ITVX (Channel TBC) Germany vs Poland (8:00 PM, St Gallen) – BBC/ITV (TBC) Saturday 5 July - Group D Wales vs Netherlands (5:00 PM, Lucerne) – BBC One/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website/S4C/S4C Online France vs England (8:00 PM, Zurich) – ITV/STV/ITVX/STV Player Sunday 6 July - Group A Finland vs Norway (12:00 PM, Sion) – BBC Two/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website Switzerland vs Iceland (3:00 PM, Bern) – ITV/ITVX (Channel TBC) Alessia Russo will be hoping to fire England Lionesses to a second consecutive European Championship victory. | PA Monday 7 July - Group B Spain vs Belgium (5:00 PM, Thun) – ITV/ITVX (Channel TBC) Italy vs Portugal (8:00 PM, Geneva) – ITV/ITVX (Channel TBC) Tuesday 8 July - Group C Germany vs Denmark (5:00 PM, Basel) – BBC Two/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website Sweden vs Poland (8:00 PM, Lucerne) – BBC One/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website Wednesday 9 July - Group D England vs Netherlands (5:00 PM, Zurich) – BBC One /BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website France vs Wales (8:00 PM, St Gallen) – ITV (TBC)/ITVXBBC iPlayer/SC4/SC4 Online Thursday 10 July - Group A Finland vs Switzerland (8:00 PM, Geneva) – BBC One/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website Norway vs Iceland (8:00 PM, Thun) – BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website Friday 11 July - Group B Portugal vs Belgium (8:00 PM, Bern) – BBC One/BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website Italy vs Spain (8:00 PM, Sion) – BBC iPlayer/BBC Sport Website Saturday 12 July - Group C Poland vs Denmark (5:00 PM, Zurich) – ITV/ITVX (Channel TBC) Sweden vs Germany (8:00 PM, Lucerne) – ITV/ITVX (Channel TBC) Sunday 13 July - Group D Netherlands vs France (8:00 PM, Basel) – ITV/ITVX (Channel TBC) Wales vs England (8:00 PM, St Gallen) – ITV 1/ITV Player/STV/STV Player/BBC iPlayer/SC4/SC4 Online Women's Euro 2025 knockout stage - TV schedule Quarter-Final 1 (July 16, 3:00 PM, Geneva) – TBC Quarter-Final 2 (July 16, 8:00 PM, Zurich) – TBC Quarter-Final 3 (July 17, 3:00 PM, Burn) – TBC Quarter-Final 4 (July 17, 8:00 PM, Basel) – TBC Semi-Final 1 (July 22, 8:00 PM, Geneva) – TBC Semi-Final 2 (July 23, 8:00 PM, Zurich) – TBC
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The Hannah Hampton story: Meet the player tasked with replacing Lionesses icon Mary Earps
Aston Villa were doing a shooting drill and one by one, the outfield players failed to get a shot on goal. 'Is there any point in me being here if we can't even hit the target?' said goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. Some laughed, others thought: 'I'll show you!' Advertisement Hampton demanded more from her team-mates, albeit she could not stand conceding a goal in training. 'She wanted the people in front of her to be better,' says former Villa and Scotland captain Rachel Corsie. 'She would voice her frustration but nothing untoward. She just had that passion, relentlessness, ambition. 'She had a charisma about her, something that made you notice her. She was unbelievably talented.' Fighter pilot, brain surgeon, professional sportsperson. Those were just some of the professions doctors told Hampton's parents she would not pursue. England's No 1, filling the huge gloves of Mary Earps following her retirement, was born with a severe squint. By the age of five, she had undergone three operations at Birmingham Children's Hospital, for whom she is now an ambassador. She only recalls the last one, waking up with her eyes briefly glued shut. Advertisement The 24-year-old has no depth perception and struggles to judge distances — pouring a glass of water from a jug can be problematic. You will notice it most when she gets tired, as her left eye starts wandering. But that has not stopped her. Having been told from a young age she can't, Hampton has always set out to prove to people she can. 'I'd heard an awful lot about Hannah, on and off the pitch,' Carla Ward, the Republic of Ireland head coach who managed Hampton at Aston Villa from 2021 to 2023, tells On day one, they went for a walk. 'Her dream was to play for Chelsea,' says Ward. 'I said to her: 'You give me everything and we'll help you get there'.' On day two, the first training session, Ward thought: 'Wow, she's got something.' Hampton was dextrous with her hands but even more impressive with her feet. England team-mate Beth Mead describes her technical ability as 'different class', while Ward says she is 'technically one of the most gifted footballers I've worked with. I would have loved to have seen her outfield.' Advertisement At times, Hampton would join in with Villa's outfield drills if needed. 'That's unheard of for goalkeepers and it's a huge asset,' says Corsie. 'She is better than anyone I've played with in terms of perceiving pressure, knowing how long you need to take a touch, play and have that calmness. 'She can strike the ball (with her) right and left foot comfortably to the halfway line, flat driven trajectory. That's remarkable. I can't imagine you'd find many Women's Super League (WSL) players even at the top clubs who can do that.' Her technical competence comes from playing as a striker for Villarreal's boys' academy. Her parents, Chris and Laura, moved to the city in eastern Spain with Hannah, aged five, and their eldest Ben, to teach in an international school. After five years in Spain, where she learnt the language and formed an indelible bond with her brother, Hampton returned to England and joined Stoke City's academy — as an outfield player. But in her first game, against Liverpool, she stepped in to replace their goalkeeper, who had been injured in the warm-up. She impressed so much that, unaware it was her first time in goal, an England scout invited the 12-year-old to an under-15 national camp. Advertisement 'She was born to play football,' says Ward. 'Her shot-stopping is ridiculous, her athleticism, reach and jump are outrageous. She's got it all when it comes to being a goalkeeper.' Although effusive with praise for a player who has a 'heart of gold', Ward says Hampton has 'had a lot of maturing to do'. In March 2021, 90 minutes before Birmingham City — Hampton and Ward's former club — hosted Everton in the WSL, the goalkeeper learned via email she had not made Team GB's Olympic shortlist for the Tokyo Games that summer. 'She was in pieces,' says Ward, who criticised the Football Association (FA) at the time for what she describes today as 'outrageous timing'. Birmingham lost 4-0, with 20-year-old Hampton struggling to shake off the news. Two weeks later, she told she was 'more annoyed' at her performance than the email but what affected her most was 'receiving so much hate through social media'. Advertisement Hampton kept a clean sheet on her England debut under Sarina Wiegman but did not play during Euro 2022, with Earps the undisputed No 1. A month later, however, Wiegman did not select Hampton, saying in a press conference that the goalkeeper 'has some personal issues she has to solve'. Hampton was left out of Wiegman's next four England squads until April 2023. Hampton started Villa's first two league games of the 2022-23 season but was absent because of an unspecified injury and not selected for the Chelsea match on October 30, even though she was declared fit earlier that week. Ward, her manager, said it was best for her to stay at home, though Hampton travelled and watched from the stands. The next day, The Guardian reported Hampton had been dropped from England because of 'behaviour and attitude at the team's camps' and her return under Wiegman was unlikely. When announcing the November squad the following day, Wiegman cited the same reason as in September. 'Nothing changed,' the England head coach said. 'She still has to do something personal that I would really not like to comment on.' Wiegman confirmed the door remained open for a World Cup return. That evening, Hampton said on social media she had been dealing with a medical issue and would undergo a minor procedure. When approached by , Hampton's representatives and the FA declined to comment on The Guardian's report and Wiegman's decision not to select Hampton. Advertisement Ward says it was Wiegman's decision not to call up Hampton for that initial September squad and described the England manager's handling of the situation as 'excellent'. 'There was a period that she probably needed to be away from football, learn how to deal with other aspects of life,' Ward tells . 'If you don't deal with things very well, sometimes you can be criticised for (a lack of) maturity. There were a lot of things around that time where she needed time to reset. Was it the right decision? Yes. Was it handled well? Yes. But was it also ridiculously tough for Hannah? Yes.' Hampton told Fozcast: The Ben Foster Podcast that at that time she wanted to quit football. Corsie was 'sad' to read reports about Hampton's attitude and did not think they were a 'fair reflection'. From a captain's perspective, she was 'great'. 'We had a good relationship,' she says. 'She knew I trusted her. If you needed to say something, we could do it openly and I genuinely really enjoyed working with her. No issues whatsoever.' Advertisement 'A young player will be criticised for attitude at times,' Ward says. 'You can have a bad day and that happens. Hannah just had some areas that she probably needed to continue to work on. 'And she has done — that's credit to her because lots of people at the time criticised her, internally, externally, around her, close people, far people. But she got her head down, worked hard and got her reward. Senior players need guidance. We were talking about a young player who really needed guidance. Every youngster has an attitude at some point. 'She's almost like your daughter — she needs your arm around her one minute but the next, she needs strongly telling what's what. She needed somebody who was going to be honest and direct to help guide her. Myself and Emma (Hayes, the manager who took her to Chelsea) offered her that.' The experience changed Hampton. 'All the media at the time was not the important thing,' Hampton told ITV. 'What was important was to look after myself. It changed me to almost not care what people think. Just go prove people wrong.' Advertisement When Chelsea came calling in the summer of 2023 upon the expiry of her Villa contract, Hampton did not tour the training ground. One call from Hayes and Hampton was sold. Chelsea had five goalkeepers, including their first-choice Germany international Ann-Katrin Berger and Sweden's 2023 World Cup star Zecira Musovic, but Hampton was not loaned out. She was there to become Chelsea No 1. Corsie remembers Hampton was not even in the matchday squad the first time Villa faced Chelsea after she moved clubs. 'I just want to play,' she told Corsie, who replied: 'Keep working hard.' In the documentary Emma: One Last Dance, Hayes approaches Hampton, who is not taking part in training. 'You should be down there and helping her tomorrow,' Hayes tells the goalkeeper of the requirement to support whoever is playing. 'That's what good team-mates do.' After encouragement, eventually Hampton gets up. 'I know I'm difficult at times,' she says before praising Hayes' way of working. Advertisement Hampton's chance came in December 2023 and she retained the No 1 spot, winning the league in her first season, then a domestic treble in her second, sharing the Golden Glove with Manchester United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce. 'People who may have a certain opinion of Hannah maybe wouldn't have backed her to do that but she did,' says Corsie. 'Similar to England, she has waited her time and worked hard.' Close with Chelsea's Sjoeke Nusken and Mayra Ramirez, Hampton is a talented artist, pianist and linguist, and wants to learn phrases in every team-mate's language — but she cannot sit still. On days off, Hampton cycles laps of Richmond Park and before England camps or during the off-season, she trains at FSCR, an elite performance London-based gym for footballers. Director Dan Bernardin has witnessed Hampton mature and her intense work ethic. On the pitch, Bernardin says they hone in on her first touch under pressure, her passing, 'inside foot, laces, outside foot', kicking and decision-making. Advertisement In the gym, they focus on her speed and power, especially single-leg work, crucial for diving. 'She has not got the longest of limbs,' says Bernardin. 'So everything has to come from raw power to cover greater distances.' Bernardin credits Hampton's outfield background for her strong positioning and physical edge over other goalkeepers. 'She's got this natural strength,' he says, describing her as a 'hard worker, diligent and constantly pushing her weights'. If there's an error in her training plan, she spots it. Bernadin, who has built a trusting relationship with Hampton, says having a 'third space', away from club and country, is important for players to 'vent and get things off their chest'. 'She doesn't get bogged down too often,' he says, citing her mantra: 'It is what it is.' Even amid selection setbacks, she stayed focused. Bernardin has seen her angry, 'which isn't a bad thing', he adds. He recalls Hampton not wanting to talk to anyone after the Champions League defeat against Barcelona in the 2024 semi-final second leg but after 20 minutes or so, she was smiling again. 'She has really high standards but she can regroup quickly,' he says. Advertisement 'I've got to just go and live up to her legacy,' Hampton told the media in June after Earps' retirement, describing her former team-mate as a 'big personality' who has 'glued' the squad together and will be much missed. 'First of all we have to respect what her decision is,' said Hampton. 'There has been quite a bit of scrutiny that she does not deserve with everything that she has achieved in the game and put women's goalkeeping on the map for the younger generation.' According to a source briefed on the matter, their relationship has been respectful but there is no secret the pair are not best friends and there have been occasions when they have not seen eye to eye. Hampton sent her a text and congratulated her on a very successful international career. 'That's all I really can do,' said Hampton. 'I'm not expecting anything back. She's been an unbelievable player.' Earps said, via the Happy Place podcast, she felt 'villainised' for her decision to step down from the national team. Hampton has received backlash too. 'It's hard when you see English fans not want you in goal,' she told ITV. 'I've not done anything to make you hate me. Yes, your favourite player has retired, that's not my decision. I haven't put that in her mind. She has come to that decision herself. It just goes back to proving them wrong. You don't want people to put you down or knock the smile off your face but believe me, I'm not going to let them.' Advertisement Earps' biggest strengths was her communication and Ward thinks commanding from the back is an area Hampton needs to keep refining. Hampton, who has worked with the same psychologist since before Euro 2022, has played with the pressure of silverware at Chelsea but she told Foster's podcast she had 'so much more anxiety' before a game last season. She has said one of her biggest obstacles is 'self-belief' and her worst habit is 'overthinking'. One of her most nervous moments was not on the pitch, however, but before giving a speech at Buckingham Palace for the gold Duke of Edinburgh award. Hampton's distribution was, for the most part, on point in England's 2-1 defeat by France on Saturday. She could not do anything about the two goals conceded but she had some nervy moments. Ward and Corsie believe Hampton will be fine as England No 1. 'She enjoys a bit of pressure,' says Corsie. 'She's ready to take that on.' Advertisement 'She'll fly,' adds Ward. 'She'll thrive off it. You'll see her step up. She has matured over the past few years more than I've seen in a lot of people. She needed to change that to keep on track for not only England's No 1 but also world No 1. That's somewhere I truly believe she can get to.' This article originally appeared in The Athletic. Chelsea, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, England, International Football, Women's Soccer, Women's Euros 2025 The Athletic Media Company
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The Hannah Hampton story: Meet the player tasked with replacing Lionesses icon Mary Earps
Aston Villa were doing a shooting drill and one by one, the outfield players failed to get a shot on goal. 'Is there any point in me being here if we can't even hit the target?' said goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. Some laughed, others thought: 'I'll show you!' Hampton demanded more from her team-mates, albeit she could not stand conceding a goal in training. 'She wanted the people in front of her to be better,' says former Villa and Scotland captain Rachel Corsie. 'She would voice her frustration but nothing untoward. She just had that passion, relentlessness, ambition. Advertisement 'She had a charisma about her, something that made you notice her. She was unbelievably talented.' Fighter pilot, brain surgeon, professional sportsperson. Those were just some of the professions doctors told Hampton's parents she would not pursue. England's No 1, filling the huge gloves of Mary Earps following her retirement, was born with a severe squint. By the age of five, she had undergone three operations at Birmingham Children's Hospital, for whom she is now an ambassador. She only recalls the last one, waking up with her eyes briefly glued shut. The 24-year-old has no depth perception and struggles to judge distances — pouring a glass of water from a jug can be problematic. You will notice it most when she gets tired, as her left eye starts wandering. But that has not stopped her. Having been told from a young age she can't, Hampton has always set out to prove to people she can. 'I'd heard an awful lot about Hannah, on and off the pitch,' Carla Ward, the Republic of Ireland head coach who managed Hampton at Aston Villa from 2021 to 2023, tells The Athletic. On day one, they went for a walk. 'Her dream was to play for Chelsea,' says Ward. 'I said to her: 'You give me everything and we'll help you get there'.' On day two, the first training session, Ward thought: 'Wow, she's got something.' Hampton was dextrous with her hands but even more impressive with her feet. England team-mate Beth Mead describes her technical ability as 'different class', while Ward says she is 'technically one of the most gifted footballers I've worked with. I would have loved to have seen her outfield.' At times, Hampton would join in with Villa's outfield drills if needed. 'That's unheard of for goalkeepers and it's a huge asset,' says Corsie. 'She is better than anyone I've played with in terms of perceiving pressure, knowing how long you need to take a touch, play and have that calmness. 'She can strike the ball (with her) right and left foot comfortably to the halfway line, flat driven trajectory. That's remarkable. I can't imagine you'd find many Women's Super League (WSL) players even at the top clubs who can do that.' Her technical competence comes from playing as a striker for Villarreal's boys' academy. Her parents, Chris and Laura, moved to the city in eastern Spain with Hannah, aged five, and their eldest Ben, to teach in an international school. After five years in Spain, where she learnt the language and formed an indelible bond with her brother, Hampton returned to England and joined Stoke City's academy — as an outfield player. But in her first game, against Liverpool, she stepped in to replace their goalkeeper, who had been injured in the warm-up. She impressed so much that, unaware it was her first time in goal, an England scout invited the 12-year-old to an under-15 national camp. 'She was born to play football,' says Ward. 'Her shot-stopping is ridiculous, her athleticism, reach and jump are outrageous. She's got it all when it comes to being a goalkeeper.' Although effusive with praise for a player who has a 'heart of gold', Ward says Hampton has 'had a lot of maturing to do'. In March 2021, 90 minutes before Birmingham City — Hampton and Ward's former club — hosted Everton in the WSL, the goalkeeper learned via email she had not made Team GB's Olympic shortlist for the Tokyo Games that summer. Advertisement 'She was in pieces,' says Ward, who criticised the Football Association (FA) at the time for what she describes today as 'outrageous timing'. Birmingham lost 4-0, with 20-year-old Hampton struggling to shake off the news. Two weeks later, she told The Athletic she was 'more annoyed' at her performance than the email but what affected her most was 'receiving so much hate through social media'. Hampton kept a clean sheet on her England debut under Sarina Wiegman but did not play during Euro 2022, with Earps the undisputed No 1. A month later, however, Wiegman did not select Hampton, saying in a press conference that the goalkeeper 'has some personal issues she has to solve'. Hampton was left out of Wiegman's next four England squads until April 2023. Hampton started Villa's first two league games of the 2022-23 season but was absent because of an unspecified injury and not selected for the Chelsea match on October 30, even though she was declared fit earlier that week. Ward, her manager, said it was best for her to stay at home, though Hampton travelled and watched from the stands. The next day, The Guardian reported Hampton had been dropped from England because of 'behaviour and attitude at the team's camps' and her return under Wiegman was unlikely. When announcing the November squad the following day, Wiegman cited the same reason as in September. 'Nothing changed,' the England head coach said. 'She still has to do something personal that I would really not like to comment on.' Wiegman confirmed the door remained open for a World Cup return. That evening, Hampton said on social media she had been dealing with a medical issue and would undergo a minor procedure. When approached by The Athletic, Hampton's representatives and the FA declined to comment on The Guardian's report and Wiegman's decision not to select Hampton. Advertisement Ward says it was Wiegman's decision not to call up Hampton for that initial September squad and described the England manager's handling of the situation as 'excellent'. 'There was a period that she probably needed to be away from football, learn how to deal with other aspects of life,' Ward tells The Athletic. 'If you don't deal with things very well, sometimes you can be criticised for (a lack of) maturity. There were a lot of things around that time where she needed time to reset. Was it the right decision? Yes. Was it handled well? Yes. But was it also ridiculously tough for Hannah? Yes.' Hampton told Fozcast: The Ben Foster Podcast that at that time she wanted to quit football. Corsie was 'sad' to read reports about Hampton's attitude and did not think they were a 'fair reflection'. From a captain's perspective, she was 'great'. 'We had a good relationship,' she says. 'She knew I trusted her. If you needed to say something, we could do it openly and I genuinely really enjoyed working with her. No issues whatsoever.' 'A young player will be criticised for attitude at times,' Ward says. 'You can have a bad day and that happens. Hannah just had some areas that she probably needed to continue to work on. 'And she has done — that's credit to her because lots of people at the time criticised her, internally, externally, around her, close people, far people. But she got her head down, worked hard and got her reward. Senior players need guidance. We were talking about a young player who really needed guidance. Every youngster has an attitude at some point. 'She's almost like your daughter — she needs your arm around her one minute but the next, she needs strongly telling what's what. She needed somebody who was going to be honest and direct to help guide her. Myself and Emma (Hayes, the manager who took her to Chelsea) offered her that.' The experience changed Hampton. 'All the media at the time was not the important thing,' Hampton told ITV. 'What was important was to look after myself. It changed me to almost not care what people think. Just go prove people wrong.' When Chelsea came calling in the summer of 2023 upon the expiry of her Villa contract, Hampton did not tour the training ground. One call from Hayes and Hampton was sold. Chelsea had five goalkeepers, including their first-choice Germany international Ann-Katrin Berger and Sweden's 2023 World Cup star Zecira Musovic, but Hampton was not loaned out. She was there to become Chelsea No 1. Advertisement Corsie remembers Hampton was not even in the matchday squad the first time Villa faced Chelsea after she moved clubs. 'I just want to play,' she told Corsie, who replied: 'Keep working hard.' In the documentary Emma: One Last Dance, Hayes approaches Hampton, who is not taking part in training. 'You should be down there and helping her tomorrow,' Hayes tells the goalkeeper of the requirement to support whoever is playing. 'That's what good team-mates do.' After encouragement, eventually Hampton gets up. 'I know I'm difficult at times,' she says before praising Hayes' way of working. Hampton's chance came in December 2023 and she retained the No 1 spot, winning the league in her first season, then a domestic treble in her second, sharing the Golden Glove with Manchester United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce. 'People who may have a certain opinion of Hannah maybe wouldn't have backed her to do that but she did,' says Corsie. 'Similar to England, she has waited her time and worked hard.' Close with Chelsea's Sjoeke Nusken and Mayra Ramirez, Hampton is a talented artist, pianist and linguist, and wants to learn phrases in every team-mate's language — but she cannot sit still. On days off, Hampton cycles laps of Richmond Park and before England camps or during the off-season, she trains at FSCR, an elite performance London-based gym for footballers. Director Dan Bernardin has witnessed Hampton mature and her intense work ethic. On the pitch, Bernardin says they hone in on her first touch under pressure, her passing, 'inside foot, laces, outside foot', kicking and decision-making. In the gym, they focus on her speed and power, especially single-leg work, crucial for diving. 'She has not got the longest of limbs,' says Bernardin. 'So everything has to come from raw power to cover greater distances.' Advertisement Bernardin credits Hampton's outfield background for her strong positioning and physical edge over other goalkeepers. 'She's got this natural strength,' he says, describing her as a 'hard worker, diligent and constantly pushing her weights'. If there's an error in her training plan, she spots it. Bernadin, who has built a trusting relationship with Hampton, says having a 'third space', away from club and country, is important for players to 'vent and get things off their chest'. 'She doesn't get bogged down too often,' he says, citing her mantra: 'It is what it is.' Even amid selection setbacks, she stayed focused. Bernardin has seen her angry, 'which isn't a bad thing', he adds. He recalls Hampton not wanting to talk to anyone after the Champions League defeat against Barcelona in the 2024 semi-final second leg but after 20 minutes or so, she was smiling again. 'She has really high standards but she can regroup quickly,' he says. 'I've got to just go and live up to her legacy,' Hampton told the media in June after Earps' retirement, describing her former team-mate as a 'big personality' who has 'glued' the squad together and will be much missed. 'First of all we have to respect what her decision is,' said Hampton. 'There has been quite a bit of scrutiny that she does not deserve with everything that she has achieved in the game and put women's goalkeeping on the map for the younger generation.' According to a source briefed on the matter, their relationship has been respectful but there is no secret the pair are not best friends and there have been occasions when they have not seen eye to eye. Hampton sent her a text and congratulated her on a very successful international career. 'That's all I really can do,' said Hampton. 'I'm not expecting anything back. She's been an unbelievable player.' Earps said, via the Happy Place podcast, she felt 'villainised' for her decision to step down from the national team. Hampton has received backlash too. 'It's hard when you see English fans not want you in goal,' she told ITV. 'I've not done anything to make you hate me. Yes, your favourite player has retired, that's not my decision. I haven't put that in her mind. She has come to that decision herself. It just goes back to proving them wrong. You don't want people to put you down or knock the smile off your face but believe me, I'm not going to let them.' Earps' biggest strengths was her communication and Ward thinks commanding from the back is an area Hampton needs to keep refining. Hampton, who has worked with the same psychologist since before Euro 2022, has played with the pressure of silverware at Chelsea but she told Foster's podcast she had 'so much more anxiety' before a game last season. She has said one of her biggest obstacles is 'self-belief' and her worst habit is 'overthinking'. One of her most nervous moments was not on the pitch, however, but before giving a speech at Buckingham Palace for the gold Duke of Edinburgh award. Hampton's distribution was, for the most part, on point in England's 2-1 defeat by France on Saturday. She could not do anything about the two goals conceded but she had some nervy moments. Ward and Corsie believe Hampton will be fine as England No 1. 'She enjoys a bit of pressure,' says Corsie. 'She's ready to take that on.' Advertisement 'She'll fly,' adds Ward. 'She'll thrive off it. You'll see her step up. She has matured over the past few years more than I've seen in a lot of people. She needed to change that to keep on track for not only England's No 1 but also world No 1. That's somewhere I truly believe she can get to.'
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Spain put six past Belgium to reach knockouts
Update: Date: 19:15 BST Title: Goodbye! Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium Thank you for joining me this evening, where we witnessed yet more Spanish excellence. Who can stand in their way at these European Championships? You can read Emily Salley's dispatch from Thun by clicking the Report tab at the top of this page. As for me: adieu. Update: Date: 19:13 BST Title: Switch over! Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium Our live text coverage of Italy v Portugal is underway already, with the reliable Adam Millington at the controls. You can follow that game by clicking here. Update: Date: 19:10 BST Title: What comes next? Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium The final round of matches in Group B take place on Friday at 20.00 BST. Spain play Italy, while Belgium take on Portugal. Depending on the result of the late game today, it remains to be seen what matters are still to be decided - whether qualification from the group, or simply league placings. Update: Date: 19:08 BST Title: Spain cruising in Group B Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium The world champions are showing their mettle in Group B having scored 11 goals in their opening two games. They sit firmly on top of the group, while Belgium sit third without a point to their name. A reminder that Spain could progress later if Portugal don't beat Italy. Belgium will be eliminated if Italy avoid defeat. Update: Date: 19:05 BST Title: 'Daunting task for whoever has to face Spain' Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium Rachel CorsieFormer Scotland captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra Spain deserve all the credit they've had so far. It's a daunting task for whoever has to face them as the tournament progresses. It'll take something special to outdo them or get a win over them. We barely mentioned a single one of their backline apart from Irene Paredes who scored a goal. You don't have to mention them unless they support an attack. They're a fantastic side. They've got balance, they've got poise. It's simply wonderful football. Update: Date: 19:03 BST Title: Watch: 'One of the goals of the tournament so far' Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium The pick of the eight goals? Has to be this wonderstrike from Claudia Pina. Bask in its glory. This video can not be played Spain's Pina scores 'one of the goals of the tournament so far' Update: Date: 19:02 BST Title: Watch: Gonzalez scores less than a minute after equaliser Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium This video can not be played Gonzalez puts Spain in the lead less than a minute after equaliser Update: Date: 19:01 BST Title: Watch: Eurlings beats offside trap to equalise Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium Irene Paredes restored Spain's lead, but just after half time Belgium pulled level again with a fantastic finish. We thought the stage might be set for an upset - but Spain had other ideas... This video can not be played Eurlings beats offside trap to fire home equaliser Update: Date: 19:00 BST Title: 'Spain side are nothing short of exceptional' Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium Rachel CorsieFormer Scotland captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra It's another impressive performance from Spain. Their ability on the ball is just incredible to watch. They replace three players with another three incredible players, there's no shortfall there. Patri underneath that midfield two, she instructed everything, I thought she was excellent. Alexia Putellas showed her quality and why she won the Ballon d'Or. It's a Spanish side that are nothing short of exceptional. Update: Date: 18:59 BST Title: Watch: Vanhaevermaet scores equaliser from 'wicked' corner Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium This video can not be played Vanhaevermaet scores equaliser from 'wicked' corner Update: Date: 18:58 BST Title: Watch: Putellas scores 'lovely team goal' Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium Back in the mosts of time (the 22nd minute of the game), this is how Spain took the lead. This video can not be played Putellas scores 'lovely team goal' for Spain Update: Date: 18:57 BST Title: Post Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium Right, shall we see some highlights from that superb game? There's plenty of goals to get through, so get ready for some spam... Update: Date: 18:56 BST Title: Post Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium This is the first time Spain have scored six goals in a Euros match - having netted five for the first time ever versus Portugal last time out. Much more surprisingly, this is the first time they have ever won back to back games at a Women's Euros. Update: Date: 18:54 BST Title: 'Most nations find it hard to stop Spain' Content: FT: Spain 6-2 Belgium Rachel CorsieFormer Scotland captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra Spain have too much quality and I think once they found their rhythm in the second half it became really difficult for Belgium to stop, and that's for most nations. For Spain, they will be disappointed that they've given Belgium opportunities from very little because the other teams look at that and potentially use that to their advantage. Spain have shown their cards on that front and will have to be better when they face better nations later on. Update: Date: 18:52 BST Title: FULL-TIME Content: Spain 6-2 Belgium Eight goals, and six of them to almost certainly the best team in this tournament. Belgium were brave, Spain were stunning. Update: Date: 18:51 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) If you don't enjoy watching this Spain team, football's not for you. Unstoppable? Andrew Update: Date: 90+3 mins Title: Post Content: Spain 6-2 Belgium This has been the mirror of the Portugal match, where Spain were awesome in the first half and low key after the break. Today they took some time to get going, but this second half has been a magnificent attacking display. Alexia Putellas fancies a hat-trick, but curls wide from 18 yards as the keeper dives full stretch. Update: Date: 18:48 BST Title: 'Spain have been exceptional in this Euros' Content: Spain 6-2 Belgium Rachel CorsieFormer Scotland captain on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra Spain are the team of the tournament so far. They've been exceptional in these two games. They've been a little untidy today and allowed themselves to concede goals. If there's one blemish you'd say it's that but the quality up front and in the midfield areas is nothing short of remarkable. Update: Date: 90+1 mins Title: Post Content: Spain 6-2 Belgium We will have four minutes added time. Surely time for one more goal, in this game particularly. Update: Date: 18:47 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Stop it with the Mexican waves, shining phone lights and other similar nonsense. This is professional football, not a children's party John, currently in Zurich John there, a man after my own heart.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Exceptional' Spain show adaptability - but are they 'vulnerable'?
Two games, six points, 11 goals - Spain are making their mark at Euro a convincing opening five-goal win over Portugal and a 6-2 thrashing of Belgium, La Roja are through to the knockout stage in world champions and the top-ranked side in the tournament, Spain already had a target on their back - now they have underlined why they are favourites."It'll take something special to outdo them or get a win over them," ex-Scotland captain Rachel Corsie told BBC Radio 5 Live."Spain deserve all the credit they've had so far. It's a daunting task for whoever has to face them as the tournament progresses. "It's a Spanish side that are nothing short of exceptional."Former England forward Eni Aluko told ITV: "Spain are the team to beat."They want to complete football. They are World Cup champions, Nations League - they want to win this Euros because they have not done that yet." 'They have a bit of everything' - what makes Spain so good? Portugal offered little resistance in Spain's Group B opener, but Belgium proved a different challenge, twice equalising after going each time the Red Flames responded, Spain replied instantly to restore their lead and regained complete control when Esther Gonzalez netted their rest of the game was spent largely in Belgium's half, with Mariona Caldentey, Claudia Pina and Alexia Putellas scoring in the final half an hour to round off a successful evening for Spain in having 12 shots in a hard-fought first half, Montse Tome's side stepped up a gear after the break to take their shot tally to 33."They have a bit of everything," Corsie said. "They have players that are dynamic, they have players that are exceptionally talented individually, one v one."Their second-half performance left Belgium manager Elisabet Gunnarsdottir saying she "wanted to cry" when she entered the dressing room."I really believed in what we were doing and loved seeing my players give everything they had," Gunnarsdottir said."They [Spain] understand the game on a different level to anything we will see at this tournament."They're so good about making decisions around the box. If you give them time around the box, or give them space, they use it."With Patri Guijarro dominating play from the base of Spain's midfield, and Putellas and either Aitana Bonmati or 18-year-old Vicky Lopez in front, Spain are able to camp outside the opposition's if they fail to squeeze the ball through to one of their forward players, they are ready to have a go themselves."Patri underneath that midfield two, she instructed everything - I thought she was excellent," Corsie said. An ability to adapt - are Spain showing there is more to come? The worry for Spain's rivals? Both Tome and Putellas said in their post-match media conferences that Spain had "room for improvement". Former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Emma Byrne agreed on ITV, saying: "I still believe there is a lot more to come from Spain. We haven't seen the best from them in a while, even though they are winning."They have got the quality, you can certainly see that, but I still don't think we've seen Spain in full flow yet. We've seen it in moments. "There is more to come and that's the scary thing."With seven different names on the scoresheet across their two games, Spain have shown they are not reliant on one Spain are known for their short, intricate passing and high possession count, they took a different approach for their second goal, with captain and centre-back Irene Paredes showing up to head home a was also seen by Caldentey's long-range ball over the top for Putellas' goal against Portugal."Spain have added a different style by being able to go more direct. When sides go 5-4-1 it is very difficult to break down, so Spain adding a long ball is an extra thing to win competitions," former Spain midfielder Vicky Losada added: "I am interested to see how Spain change their game. We are so used to them keeping possession and nice passes - but now they have a target in the box." 'Spain have shown their cards' - are there any areas of weakness? So, are Spain unstoppable? The task for their opponents is to find and crack any weaknesses Tome's side may at least, showed their defence is not invincible. Justine Vanhaevermaet's header from a corner proved there are opportunities from set-pieces, while a counter-attacking ball over the top was all Belgium needed to put Hannah Eurlings through on goal for their second. "Their primary strengths are in possession and going forward. Today, Belgium didn't have too much of the ball and they managed to create goals and chances, which on a different day could've been more," Corsie said."That will give teams and nations that they'll face later on a bit of hope, and the way you can see they can be vulnerable."It's understanding that when you do win the ball there's a lot of place to play with if you can find that initial combination to break their press. "You need two passes to break it, and if you can do that, that's where Belgium were able to find success."Spain, after all, have been beaten recently. England triumphed against them in the Nations League this year, and they lost to Brazil and Germany in a disappointing Olympic campaign last summer."For Spain, they will be disappointed that they've given Belgium opportunities from very little, because the other teams look at that and potentially use that to their advantage," Corsie added."Spain have shown their cards on that front and will have to be better when they face better nations later on."
