'it Breaks My Heart' - Hampton's Tribute To Grandpa Who Died Before Euros

England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has paid tribute to her grandfather who died 2 days earlier nan team's triumphant Euro 2025 campaign.

The 24-year-old was a stone for nan Lionesses passim nan tourney and proved her worthy erstwhile again successful Sunday's last against world champions Spain.

Having made a drawstring of important interventions successful nan game, Hampton saved 2 penalties successful nan shootout to thief her broadside clasp nan title they won successful 2022.

It was nan first clip an England squad had won a awesome trophy connected overseas ungraded and further cemented their spot arsenic 1 of nan apical nations successful world football.

In nan aftermath of a historical night, Hampton posted a heartfelt connection alongside an image of a goalkeeper's garment pinch nan connection 'grandpa' printed connected nan wrong of nan collar.

"Two days earlier nan biggest tourney of my life, you left," she wrote connected Instagram.

"You taught maine truthful much, not conscionable astir football, but astir life. About staying grounded, moving hard, being resilient and doing things nan correct way.

"It breaks my bosom that you didn't get to spot maine locomotion retired for our state astatine my first awesome tournament... thing you dreamed of for me, thing we talked astir truthful galore times. But I know, heavy down, you were still there. I felt you pinch me. In nan tunnel. On nan pitch. In nan reliable moments. I heard you successful my caput erstwhile I needed strength.

"I dream I made you proud, Grandpa. I carried you done each minute. And I ever will. I did it. WE DID IT."

Hampton's way to nan apical has been littered pinch obstacles.

The Chelsea goalkeeper was calved pinch a superior oculus information and told by doctors she should not play football.

Hampton has undergone aggregate operations to correct her imagination but it is still not cleanable and she continues to person extent cognition issues.

After defying nan likelihood to get into nan master game, her world profession deed a rocky spot aft England won Euro 2022 connected location soil.

Hampton served arsenic back-up to Mary Earps, but was dropped successful nan aftermath pinch reports suggesting it was owed to her behaviour.

Boss Sarina Wiegman brought her backmost into nan fold successful March 2023, having said Hampton had "sorted retired individual issues".

But Earps remained nan No1 and Hampton was erstwhile again near without immoderate crippled clip aft being named successful nan squad for nan 2024 World Cup.

A move to Chelsea successful 2023 helped get her profession backmost connected way and she won nan home treble pinch her nine past play to show she tin present successful large moments.