Hannah Hampton has won the BBC's women’s footballer of the year.
She beat Aitana Bonmati, Alessia Russo, Mariona Caldentey and Patri Guijarro for the fans' award.
Hampton joins the likes of Ada Hegerberg, Lucy Bronze and Beth Mead.
She is the second goalkeeper, after Mary Earp, her England predecessor in 2023, to win it.
Hampton told BBC Sport: "I definitely didn't expect it with all the other players nominated, I think they've all had unbelievable years.
Her list of credits for the 2024/25 is incredibly long:
- BBC Player of the Year
- Yashin Trophy- first ever
- WSL Golden Glove
- FIFPRO World XI
- EURO 25 Team of the Tournament
- Glamour Women of the Year
- Tenth in Ballon d’Or
- IAPB Love Your Eyes Award.
This award comes after she was thrown under the bus in a media storm last month, when Mary Earps, her predecessor, retired from international football after losing the England number one shirt to Hampton. The book claimed that England manager Sarina Wiegman rewarded “bad behaviour” by recalling Hampton to the squad in 2023, saying Hampton had been dropped for being "disruptive and unreliable".
When asked about the scrutiny she has faced in the past few weeks, Hampton said, "People are entitled to their opinions. People can say whatever they want. It's up to me whether I let that affect me. I definitely know it's not going to.
"I'm not going to sit here and knock people for what they have to say; that's their life, that's their judgment. I'm just going to focus on myself, that's all I can do.
"I want to achieve a lot more in the game, and I can't dwell on people's thoughts. That's going to hinder me, not help me."
She has been fundamental for England and Chelsea this season, becoming both sides' No. 1 keeper and proving that the pressure is nothing.
With criticism and hate after taking over from Mary Earps, and fans saying she was not good enough and wouldn’t achieve, she went and did just that.
"I knew that if England got knocked out earlier, there would have been a lot more spotlight on me," she said.
"I just thought, you know what, just go and enjoy your football. I've always said I perform better when I enjoy it."
She single-handedly helped England win back-to-back Euros. In the final, she scored decisive penalty saves, stopping Mariona Cadentey and Aitana Bonmati. She also made crucial saves throughout the tournament, including in the penalty shootout of the quarter-final against Sweden.
It was my way of giving back to the team. They've run around for 120 minutes to make it go that far, and they've helped defend heroically in moments that we've needed it throughout the game," Hampton said.
"It was my moment to be like, this is what I can do for you guys and help us achieve the dream that we wanted to achieve from the moment we set out in the Euros campaign.
"To put on an England badge is a special and proud moment. You never take it for granted."
Hampton learned of the death of her grandfather just two days before the tournament began.
"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 said.
"I think people forget that we are just human beings. We all have feelings; we all have our own struggles outside of football, outside the football pitch.
"You just have to focus on yourself and keep yourself going. As hard as it is, especially for me coming to terms with losing a relative who you love dearly and you're very close to, having not fully grieved.
"It still doesn't quite sink in that people call you England number one," Hampton said.
"It's a lonely position, but it's also gratifying. You could be the hero at moments, and you could also be the villain at moments.
"The keepers before me, Carly [Telford], Karen [Bardsley], Mary [Earps], even before that, they've changed the perception of women's goalkeeping.
"I'm just another body in that, which's obviously helped change the way, along with Khiara [Keating] and Anna [Moorhouse] at the moment.
"Women's goalkeeping has definitely taken off; we're trying to change perceptions slowly but surely."
For Chelsea, her form was remarkable. She won the Golden Glove with 13 clean sheets in the 22 WSL matches and helped Chelsea complete a domestic treble and finish the league season unbeaten.
All this success is no surprise, as she won the inaugural women’s Yasmin Trophy at the Ballon d’Or, a historic moment for goalkeepers in the women’s game.
England team-mate Alessia Russo finished second, and Spain's Aitana Bonmati was third in the public vote.
The nominations were chosen by a panel of experts, including coaches, players, administrators, and journalists, based on players' performance over the last year, from September 2024 to August 2025.
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