England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton hopes to ‘live up to the legacy' of Mary Earps
England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton hopes to 'live up to the legacy' of the recently-retired Mary Earps but insisted she felt no extra pressure entering the European Championship as the defending champions' undisputed number one.
Earps was instrumental in inspiring the Lionesses to their first major trophy on home turf in 2022, but had been slipping in boss Sarina Wiegman's favour behind 24-year-old Chelsea shot-stopper Hampton before announcing she would be stepping away from international football last month.
Hampton felt her predecessor did not deserve the 'scrutiny' she experienced in the aftermath, but conceded she was 'not expecting' a reply to a congratulatory text she sent Earps, 32, after she made her shock decision public.
'We're going to miss her as a person here,' Hampton said. 'She's a big personality in this team and she glued us all together at times when we needed (her) to.
'So, I think it's been difficult for everyone to come to terms with what her decision is, but we have to respect that. And now I've got to just go and live up to her legacy. I'll give it my best shot for sure.'
In April, Wiegman confirmed the younger keeper was 'a little bit ahead' of two-time FIFA Best winner Earps.
'First of all we have to obviously respect what (Earps') decision is,' said Hampton.
'I think there's been quite a bit of scrutiny that she probably doesn't deserve with everything that she's achieved in the game and obviously (she's) put women's goalkeeping on the map for the younger generation, aspiring to now be a goalkeeper.
'It was never really a thing and Mary's changed that. There's so many more young boys and girls taking part in goalkeeping, which was never the case when I was growing up.
'I think I've done everything I need to do. I've sent her a text and I congratulated her on a very successful international career and I think that's all I really can do.
'I don't think there's anything else and I'm not expecting anything back. She's been an unbelievable player.'
Hampton has steadily risen up the ranks for both club and country since joining Chelsea from Aston Villa in 2023.
And ahead of England's Euros defence – which begins against France on July 5, she added: 'I think of it as just playing another game of football.
'There's not really much pressure that you can put on yourself. We're here as a big team.
'You'll get through the games as a big team, whether that was me starting or me on the sidelines supporting – you knew what your role was going to be for the whole of the summer.
'Just getting that bit of clarity already helps you prepare for whatever your role is. My role is different this time around compared to the last tournaments, but it's not going to change my mindset.
'I'm there to enjoy myself, do the nation proud with all the girls and get memories. I remember all the memories from the last World Cup and Euros and I cherish every single one of them, I just want to keep repeating that.'
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