‘It breaks my heart’ – Hampton’s tribute to grandpa who died before Euros

Hannah Hampton, England goalkeeper, paid tribute to her late grandfather, who passed away just before the team’s rousing Euro 2025 campaign.

The 24-year-old proved her worth again in Sunday’s final against world champion Spain, who was a rock for the Lionesses throughout the entire tournament.

Hampton saved two penalties in the shootout to keep her team from clinching the title they won in 2022 after making a number of crucial interventions in the game.

For the first time in history, England’s squad had won a sizable trophy on foreign soil, cementing their position as one of the best in world football.

You left two days before the biggest tournament of my life, she wrote on Instagram.

You taught me a lot about life as well as football, “. about maintaining a sense of self-awareness, perseverance, and doing things the right way.

You told me, “It breaks my heart that you didn’t see me leave for our country at my first major tournament,” something you had a dreamt of for me and that we discussed frequently. But I’m pretty sure I remember you staying there. You and I felt you. in the tunnel . on the pitch . in the difficult circumstances. When I needed strength, I heard you in my head.

Hampton’s path to the top has been riddled with obstacles.

The Chelsea goalkeeper was premature and told not to play football due to a serious eye condition.

Hampton has had several eye surgeries to correct her vision, but she still struggles with depth perception and vision.

After defying the odds to enter the professional game, England’s Euro 2022 victory on home soil caused her international career to suffer.

Hampton served as Mary Earps’ backup, but reports suggested it was her behavior that caused her to leave.

In March 2023, according to Hampton’s claim that she had “sorted out personal issues,” boss Sarina Wiegman brought her back.

After being chosen to the 2024 World Cup squad, Hampton was once more left without any game time and Earps remained at No1.