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After replacing Earps, Hampton overcame enormous pressure and expectations to help England defend their European crown in Switzerland.
“I knew that if England had gone out earlier, there would have been a lot of spotlight on me,” she said.
“I just thought, you know, go enjoy your football. I’ve always said I do better when I’m enjoying it.”
To make matters worse, Hampton learned of her grandfather’s death just two days before the tournament began.
“When I then learned about my grandfather, it gave me an extra push to show everyone what I could do because this was our dream together,” she said.
“I think people forget that we’re just human. We all have feelings, we all have our own struggles that we go through outside of football, outside of the football field.
“You just have to focus on yourself and keep moving forward. As hard as it is, especially for me, I’m coping with the loss of a relative who you love so much and who you’re so close to, without feeling completely sad.”
“Then you have all the other stuff piled on top of it. That doesn’t always help.”
It’s been a year full of highs and lows, but Hampton is grateful for the work her predecessors have done in raising the profile of female goalkeepers.
“It’s not yet understood that people call you England’s number one,” Hampton said.
“It’s a lonely situation, but it’s also very rewarding. You can be the hero in moments, and you can also be the villain in others.”
“The guards in front of me are Carly [Telford]Karen [Bardsley]Mary [Earps]Even before that, they changed the perception of women’s goalkeeping.
“I’m just another body that obviously helped change the way with Khiara [Keating] And Anna [Moorhouse] at the moment.
“Women’s goalkeeping has definitely taken off, and we are trying to change perceptions slowly but surely.”
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