Hannah Hampton wins BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year
England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has name-dropped Mary Earps during a thank-you video after she claimed the BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year 2025 award, reports BritPanorama.
The announcement, made on Tuesday morning, marks Hampton as the first goalkeeper to win the award since Mary Earps’ victory in 2023. The event comes amid ongoing tensions between the two players, stemming from Earps’ claims in her 2025 autobiography that they had a “difficult professional dynamic” and that the national team rewarded Hampton for “bad behaviour.”
While receiving the award, Hampton acknowledged the influence of her predecessors, specifically mentioning Carly Telford, Karen Bardsley, and Earps. “They’ve changed the perception of women’s goalkeeping. It’s definitely taking off and we’re trying to change the perception slowly but surely,” she stated.
Hampton, 25, becomes the sixth British recipient of the honour since its inception in 2015, and only the second goalkeeper to achieve this accolade. The trophy was awarded in an unexpected ceremony at Chelsea’s Cobham training facility, where she was surprised with the honour.
The award selection was determined through a public vote, with a shortlist curated by professionals, coaches, and journalists based on performances from September 2024 to August 2025. During her standout year, Hampton steered Chelsea to an unbeaten domestic season, securing the Women’s Super League title, FA Cup, and League Cup without a single defeat against English teams through 2024.
Her international performances also reached new heights during the summer’s European Championship in Switzerland, where she established herself as England’s first-choice keeper following Earps’ unexpected retirement from international football.
Hampton was pivotal in the tournament, saving two penalties in a quarter-final shootout against Sweden and repeating this in the final against Spain, allowing the Lionesses to defend their European title successfully. “Winning the Euros is special. Being able to put on an England badge is a special and proud moment,” she remarked.
Her shock at winning the award was palpable, particularly given the talent of her fellow nominees, including Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí, who, despite her outstanding achievements, has yet to claim the BBC honour after being shortlisted for three consecutive years.
Completing the five-player selection were England striker Alessia Russo and Spanish internationals Patri Guijarro and Mariona Caldentey. Hampton’s victory is notable as only the second goalkeeper to secure this award, sharing this honour with Earps.
She acknowledged the immense pressure of succeeding Earps as England’s number one, revealing she performed amid personal tragedy, having lost her grandfather just two days before the Championship commenced. “When I then got the news about my grandad, that gave me that extra push to go and show everyone what I can do because that was our dream together,” she shared. Hampton’s reflections serve as a poignant reminder of the human stories underlying elite sport — how personal struggles often run parallel to professional triumphs, shaping not just players but the narratives around them.
