‘I’ve got a smile from ear to ear’: England youngster enjoying latest call-up

Aston Villa goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was called up to the latest Lionesses squad for the World Cup qualifier with Austria on Saturday

Hannah Hampton is in the latest England squad (The FA via Getty Images)

Hannah Hampton confesses she still feels a little starstruck around her England teammates.  

The Aston Villa goalkeeper was called up to Sarina Wiegman’s latest Lionesses squad on her 21^st birthday, and will suit up for her country when they face Austria in Saturday’s World Cup qualifier.  

And though she earned her first senior call-up in March 2020, Birmingham-born Hampton, who was once told by a doctor that she’d never play sport, was just as thrilled to make the squad this time. 

She said: “Every single time I get a call-up to England I’ve got a smile from ear to ear and I don’t expect it. I always keep looking out for when these squads are going to be announced and who I’m going to be on camp with and I’m fangirling most of the time. 

“I’m not going to lie, I love it. This afternoon, I was having a coffee with Jill Scott, and I was thinking, yeah, I’d never be able to do that.” 

Hampton was first called up for the SheBelieves Cup, and was shocked that her idols-turned-teammates had any idea who she was. 

She said: “I could tell you absolutely everything about them, when they made their debut, when they started, how many games they’ve played, I could tell you the lot. So when they knew something about me, I thought oh my goodness, it’s real now.” 

Hampton was born with a squint, requiring multiple operations when she was younger with no success. The condition affects her depth perception and ability to judge distances, about which, she admitted with a laugh, “So being a keeper doesn’t really make a lot of sense.” 

She has quickly become one of the most promising goalkeepers in the country, making her 200^th WSL save earlier this month 

But the resilient keeper, who off the pitch sometimes struggles with simple tasks like pouring a glass of water, would let nothing stop her when it came to football. 

She said: “My parents told me they couldn’t get me off the side of the pitch. They knew straight away I wanted to play sport, and they didn’t tell me I couldn’t. 

Hannah Hampton is preparing with the England squad (Action Images via Reuters)

“Finding out [I wasn’t supposed to be able to] then made me more determined to get to the highest level I possibly could and prove it wrong, and helping the younger generation if they get told they can’t do what they want to do in life and what they love. 

“I hope I’m an inspiration to them and they can achieve what they want to.” 

Jordan Nobbs earned her first call-up under Wiegman for this latest World Cup qualifier, which will see eighth-ranked England, who have won all of their qualifying contests so far, face their toughest competition so far in 21^st-ranked Austri — also drawn in their group for next summer’s Euros.

With Arsenal’s Leah Williamson out with injury, Chelsea’s Millie Bright will become the latest Lioness to wear the captain’s armband — the ideal choice, believes Hampton. 

She added: “From the get go of me coming into my first camp, she put an arm around me straight away and taught me the ropes.  

“I was absolutely terrified but then it helped me on the pitch. I could show why I was in the squad.”