England's goalkeeper, Hannah Hampton, has revealed the cheeky tactics she employed during the Euro 2025 final penalty shootout against Spain. Hampton admitted to tossing Spain's goalkeeper, Cata Coll's, water bottle – which had a penalty cheat sheet attached – into the crowd to disrupt her opponent.
The Lionesses secured their second consecutive European title in Switzerland, defeating Spain 3-1 on penalties. Hampton's heroics included saving two crucial spot-kicks, solidifying England's status as a dominant force in women's football. This victory marks the first time a nation has retained the Women's Euros since Germany's impressive six-tournament winning streak from 1995 to 2013.
Both Hampton and Coll, like many goalkeepers, prepared for the shootout with notes indicating opponents' preferred penalty directions. However, while Hampton taped her cheat sheet to her arm, Coll attached hers to her water bottle. Hampton saw an opportunity and seized it.
"The Spanish keeper had it on her bottle," Hampton told TalkSPORT. "So I thought when she was going in goal, I’ll just pick it up and throw it into the English fans so she can’t have it."
Hampton added, "I never put it on a bottle because anyone can do that, so that’s why I put it on my arm. It wasn’t hard, when she’s in the goal, it’s on its own, isn’t it? You just pick it up? When she saw my bottle in there instead, mine’s blank, but it has the same sponsors and stuff, so I just put mine in there, chucked hers in with the fans, and she had an empty bottle. She was walking back and I was walking the other way and she was so confused, I was trying so hard not to burst out laughing."
Hampton's tactical maneuver added an extra layer of intrigue to the already tense final, showcasing her quick thinking and competitive spirit on the biggest stage.
