Hampton and Carter: The heroic Lionesses from the Midlands
"It's hard when you see English fans not want you in the team. I've not done anything to make you hate me. Yeah, your favourite player has retired but that's not my decision."Well, Hannah, they all love you now.Her stunning distribution was the first thing to catch the ey,e but then came the penalty saves that turn tournament-winning keepers into legends. In the final, she was named Player of the Match.
This is all after the girl who grew up in Studley and went to school in Burntwood was told by doctors she would never play professional sport.Hannah was born with an eye condition that means she struggles to perceive depth. She had multiple operations as a child to correct it, but some of the issues remain.The West Brom fan went on to play for Birmingham City, Aston Villa and Chelsea before playing a crucial role in the first away senior major tournament win in England's history. It is a unique sporting career that would be too far-fetched for a film script.The other Midlander of these European Champions is Warwickshire's Jess Carter, who has shown strength in the face of disgusting racist abuse.First, she announced she would be stopping using social media after being targeted throughout the tournament because of her race. Her statement sparked a wave of support from teammates to the Prime Minister.Jess was also backed by the FA and her manager, but she only played a small role off the bench in the semi-final.Next, she starts in the final. She spoke of being 'scared' to play for the first time ever ahead of this match, and yet she delivered a flawless performance in defence against the World Champions, Spain.After all this, how could you not find pride that these two superwomen are from our place?
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Daily Mirror
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Grit, broken bones and goosebumps - My month with the inspirational Lionesses
The Lionesses have brought football home again after winning their second successive Euros, and it was a triumph against the odds during a remarkable campaign in Switzerland When the chorus of Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline rang around Basel's St Jakob Park on Sunday night, I had goosebumps. I'd heard this song blasted across stadium speakers countless times over the last four weeks. But this moment was different. With her signature bunny hop run, Chloe Kelly had just scored the winner - a rocket shot penalty against Spain. It was an outcome fans could have only dreamed of at the start of this tournament, and one many secretly feared too good to be true. Ahead of their Euros campaign, the Lionesses were blighted with major losses to their squad just days before it was announced. Former captain Millie Bright stepped down from the running on account of prioritising her mental health. While Mary Earps, who won the Golden Glove for her performance at the Australian World Cup, and Fran Kirby, who helped make history at Euro 2022, both retired from international duty. All of this cast a shadow of doubt over the team, who just three years ago had enjoyed a historic 2-1 victory over Germany at Wembley in the last Euro final. But now they faced a whole new challenge; to do it on foreign soil. Things looked bleak when their opening game against France saw England lose 2-1. It must have prompted a war cry from boss Sarina Wiegman, whose players were so galvanised by the loss that they could barely wait for the next game. I'll never forget the brutal honesty from Georgia Stanway who candidly told reporters she didn't want to do a press conference because she was "fed up of talking" and wanted to "put things right on the pitch". The Lionesses went on to thrash the Netherlands (4-0) and Wales (6-1), after promising to deliver some 'proper English' football. And if the group stages alone weren't enough of a sensational comeback, nothing could prepare us for the drama the squad had stored up their sleeves. With a few rest days ahead of our quarter-final match against Sweden, we decided to visit the women in yellow and blue to see what they were made of. We drove from our hotel in Zurich to the Swedish base 30 minutes away in Cham. As they walked out onto the training pitch and began pelting footballs around, I gulped - 'they're huge', I thought. Sweden were the first ever team to win the Women's Euros. They beat England 4-3 on penalties in its debut year of 1984, but have never been able to win back the title since. The match is legendary in their country, it was a mud bath that became known as 'The Battle of Kenilworth Bog' due to the state of the pitch in Luton. But after England knocked Sweden from a place in the Euro final in 2022, the Swedes felt it was time for revenge this year. And when the Lionesses were still 2-0 down against them at 79 minutes, I thought 'they're finally going to get it'. The next 103 seconds will go down in footballing history. In less than two minutes, the Lionesses' oldest and youngest players; Lucy Bronze, 33, had both scored sending the fans into a frenzy. Even Sarina Wiegman admitted the subsequent penalty shootout was 'hard to watch', with several missed chances on both sides. When England won, Zurich's Stadium Letzigrund erupted. The was relief and disbelief was palpable. Even in the media room, everyone still seemed to be buzzing with adrenaline. By the time the semi-final with Italy arrived, fans, players and their families alike were desperate for a straightforward win in 90 minutes. No-one wanted to spend another 120 minutes with their hearts in their mouths. But it would be another last-gasp victory for the Lionesses, who won in the 119th minute inside a packed out Stade de Geneva. And then the scene for the last act was set; England would face Spain, who had clinched the World Cup from them in such heartbreaking style just two years ago. Fans began texting me from back home to see if I could help them secure tickets for the final. Stories of people being forced off overbooked planes and fans scrambling to Switzerland on four-day coach journeys began streaming in. The Lionesses had sent the nation wild with their rollercoaster ride and everyone wanted to watch the last chapter unfold. On the day of the final the atmosphere in Basel was a heady mix of excitement and nerves. Despite the magic we had all witnessed from this England team, every fan knew the pain Spain could cause if the red waves were allowed near our net. I had been in the stands covering the World Cup final and watched, devastated, as the tearful Lionesses fell to the floor in defeat. So when Mariona Caldentey scored in the 25th minute my head fell into my hands. It felt all too familiar. But if this team had proved anything, it was that England is never done. Alessia Russo's 57th minute goal settled the score, and when extra time couldn't find a goal it was time for another penalty shootout. My chest was tight, I held my breath. But after two shocking misses from Spain, a big grin stretched across my face. Cool, confident, Chloe Kelly walked up for her spot kick. I thought 'there's no way she's missing this'. A euphoric roar ripped through the stands, everyone was on their feet. The 27-year-old who just six months ago admitted she considered quitting football had scored the winner in a Euros final again. Silver and gold confetti rained from the sky, fireworks blasted from the pitch and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I started thinking about all the fans I've met at these major tournaments, who have spent thousands to be here for this moment. The mums and daughters, fathers and sons, the ladies in their 60s and 70s who never could have dreamed of a sold out women's final like this in front of 34,000 fans. My five-year-old niece watching back home, who is obsessed with princesses and now Lionesses too. And just when I thought they couldn't show more grit, resilience and determination; the news breaks that my favourite player, Lucy Bronze, has played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia in secret. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
ITV News
20 minutes ago
- ITV News
Guernsey fans react to England Euros win and Maya Le Tissier's historic success
Maya Le Tissier has become the first Channel Islander to win a senior international football tournament. The Guernsey defender was part of England's 23-player squad that beat Spain 3-1 on penalties to retain their European title. Hundreds gathered at screenings across the islands to watch the Euro 2025 Final, including in St Martins' clubhouse - the team where Maya started her career. Club Director Ben Hunter says: "She's such a credit to the island and the whole team have been absolutely fantastic to watch. "Women's football is big now, it's getting to the level it should be at and it's a credit to those ladies who are doing it. Maya's a part of that for Man United and England." Although she was an unused substitute during the tournament, Maya still played her part, including setting up a players' messaging group called the 'Positive Clicks' which was referenced in celebrations earlier in the competition. She is also said to have helped support fellow defender Jess Carter after she suffered racist abuse online. Maya's father, Darren Le Tissier, explains: "I think Maya's done extremely well in the background, training well every day, being a good support and team player in and around the squad. It's all about that team unity." The Lionesses' performances have inspired other young footballers about what is possible. One young fan tells ITV News: "It's just crazy to think that someone from Guernsey can actually go to England and perform in the Euros. It's mental, she's turning into a brilliant footballer." A second one adds: "I started playing football because of Maya. One day, I'd like to become a Lionness."
The Independent
20 minutes ago
- The Independent
England arrive at Downing Street to celebrate European Championship glory
England have headed to Downing Street for a celebratory reception after returning home to cheering crowds following their European Women's Championship triumph. The Lionesses successfully defended their European crown with a 3-1 penalty shootout victory over Spain in the tournament's showpiece in Basel on Sunday. Alessia Russo cancelled out the opener from Arsenal team-mate Mariona Caldentey and after drawing 1-1 following extra time, an entertaining final ultimately boiled down to penalties. Goalkeeper Hannah Hampton made two brilliant saves in the shootout before Chloe Kelly fired home from the spot to ensure England retained their European title. The Lionesses left their team hotel in Zurich on Monday morning with skipper Leah Williamson carefully escorting the trophy to the bus, and after returning to England the team headed for Westminster and a reception hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock. The team arrived just before 7pm, with Number 10 decorated for the occasion with St George's flags draped over windows and bunting along the railings. After almost a month of competition in Switzerland, the team's aeroplane branded with the word 'home' touched down at Southend Airport on Monday afternoon. In a post on X, the team shared a photo of the Euros trophy draped in an England flag on a seat on the plane. Holding the trophy, Williamson was first to step off the plane alongside head coach Sarina Wiegman. Outside of the airport, crowds were lined up to welcome the team and the trophy back home. A homecoming open-top bus parade follows in central London on Tuesday, where there will be a procession along The Mall and the celebration will finish with a staged ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. A trip to the Palace or Windsor Castle may be on the cards for the winning squad as it is understood possible plans for a reception in the autumn are being explored by royal aides. Defender Jess Carter has not joined her team-mates for the celebrations in London as she has returned to the United States ahead of Gotham FC's NWSL match against the Chicago Stars on Saturday.
