But with nothing as yet concrete, might this be Hannah Hampton’s chance to stake a claim as being England’s number one goalkeeper going into Euro 2025?
Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman was less than forthcoming when asked recently, with the competition seemingly up for grabs.
Is Hannah Hampton The Next Number One England Womens Goalkeeper?
It would be a surprise if Hampton does not start as the England Womens Goalkeeper ahead of Mary Earps for Friday’s friendly against Germany. But it would not necessarily mean Wiegman has already made her mind up for next summer’s finals in Switzerland.
Wiegman stresses the importance of form and game time. Hampton is currently ahead in both metrics. Hampton has started the last three games since joining the team following Earps’ injury during England’s clash with France in May. She has also been integral to Chelsea’s flying start to the Women’s Super League season.
Mary Earps has been called up to PSG since her summer transfer from Manchester United, though her performances since crossing the Channel have been a little indifferent. Hannah Hampton kept a clean sheet in England’s last game, the 0-0 draw with Sweden, and has collected eight senior call-ups since making her debut in 2022.
Sarina Wiegman’s Dilemma: Hampton’s Advantage over Mary Earps
It is normal, as Wiegman herself said, that when players sometimes move from country to country or from club to club, it takes a little time for them to get settled in. Earps has been fighting for her spot back at PSG, overtaken by Katarzyna Kiedrzynek, and that may happen here in England as well.
However brilliant they are, periodically, goalkeepers find themselves out of the team, and then all they can do is work hard, patiently, behind the scenes, awaiting the next opportunity that may arise.
And that is precisely how Hampton earned her place on the team.
Technically strong, Hampton is excellent in her shot-stopping, particularly on her left-hand side, and her distribution is good. At Chelsea, she plays out a lot from the right, maybe because of Lucy Bronze – a connection they could make in England, too.
Hampton must prove she can continue her current vein of form, especially at the highest level. While Earps has performed extremely well in patches, she has also made a couple of big errors.
Those two upcoming friendlies, against Germany, South Africa, the US, and Switzerland, will be vital for either keeper, whoever gets the nod.
The competition will do good for everyone as both goalkeepers are going to pull up their socks. The atmosphere is, of course, a little tense, but it is something manageable as that is sorted out with time.
For Wiegman, there’s enough time before Euro 2025 to allow the situation to take its natural course. If Earps re-establishes herself in PSG’s starting lineup and form, the decision of the first choice England womens goalkeeper for next summer becomes more complicated—but it’s a welcome complication. Ideally, both keepers will continue at the top of their game, meaning whoever is eventually chosen as permanent number one, the team will have confidence in.
Headaches for Lionesses Manager: Who’s Next in Line?
At 23, Hampton is eight years younger than Earps, and her bid for the starting place is a healthy development for the squad. For some, this has been framed as a ‘changing of the guard’, which does feel like a simplification, but for now at least – the focus on Hampton versus Earps may overshadow more pertinent questions about the pool of senior England womens goalkeepers and who else might come through if needed.
There has been a gap in quality between Earps and Hampton, with few others regularly challenging for the England goalkeeper jersey. Hampton can fill that gap, and emerging talents such as Manchester City’s Khiara Keating have the potential to be world stars in years to come.
It is also telling that Anna Moorhouse remained in the squad for recent games against Germany and South Africa, with Wiegman looking at form and game time as much as potential. At 29, Moorhouse has taken a very roundabout way into the England squad, earning her first call-up this summer and yet to earn her first cap. Performance currently warrants it, though.
Similarly, Sophie Baggaley’s good form for Brighton may warrant a call-up, but this selection is a reminder that being outside the WSL needn’t rule you out of being good enough for the national team. Moorhouse moved to Bordeaux in 2020 and has been at Orlando Pride since 2022. Her story is one of finding environments in which the players will be at their best, and it reminds us that success in football usually requires belligerence and determination.
It was exactly the same with Hampton and Earps- the path to success is never plain, and one has to make sure opportunities are seized whenever they come along.
