England Lioness Hannah Hampton praised by ex-teacher

The former PE teacher of Lioness goalkeeper Hannah Hampton said she always knew the player would one day be England’s Number One.

A bloody-nosed Hampton kept England’s Euro 2025 hopes alive on Thursday when penalty shootout saves saw the nation through to the semi-finals.

The 24-year-old told the BBC after the game: “Don’t ever write us off.”

It was the same winning attitude that had been spotted years ago by Emma Heighway at Eramus Darwin Academy in Burntwood, Staffordshire where the goalie was now viewed, she said, as an icon.

Hampton, who was brought up in Studley, Warwickshire, studied GCSE PE at the school, where staff knew “early doors that she was going on to do something amazing”, Ms Heighway said.

“She was incredibly determined,” the teacher recalled. “She is multitalented and an incredible athlete across the board.

“But she had to sacrifice a lot. She missed school while at England camps and then had to catch up.”

Ms Heighway added: “Its been amazing to follow her journey through. She has got a real kind of icon status around here.”

Thursday’s match saw England miss four times in the penalty shootout, while Sweden missed five, with Birmingham-born Hampton saving two of the shots.

As for a nosebleed she suffered during the game, she said: “I’m better with one nostril now.”

Hampton left the school in 2017 after completing her studies, but came back to visit a few weeks ago.

“She told the students to trust the process,” Ms Heighway said, “to trust the journey – that speaks volumes to what she’s managed to achieve.

“We knew that she would one day be Number One.”

England will face Italy on Tuesday at 20:00 BST for a place in the Euro 2025 final.