VIDEO: 'England's number one!' - Hannah Hampton soaks in adulation of Chelsea fans after registering maiden Champions League clean sheet in Blues' huge Ajax win

Hampton kept the first Women's Champions League clean sheet of her career as Chelsea cruised to a 3-0 win over Ajax in Amsterdam in the first leg of their quarter-final tie. Vocal travelling Blues fans made their feelings clear about her international prospects after the final whistle, claiming that she is already England's best stopper.

Hampton's decision to join Chelsea last summer was questioned when the Blues had already agreed to sign Belgium international Nicky Evrard on top of existing goalkeeping stars Zecira Musovic and Ann-Katrin Berger, especially when she spent the first two portion of the season sat on the bench. But the 23-year-old was given her WSL chance in the final game before Christmas - a 3-0 win over Bristol City - and hasn't looked back.

She has started every league game since and and was afforded only her second European appearance during this week's trip to the Netherlands. Establishing herself as Chelsea's regular starter is positioning Hampton, described by Emma Hayes as "absolutely superb" against Manchester City in the recent Conti Cup semi-final, as genuine competition to Mary Earps for England's number one shirt ahead of Euro 2025 next summer, with the Lionesses seeking to retain their title from 2022. The rapidly emerging Khiara Keating is doing something similarly impressive at Manchester City.

Now that she has ascended to No.1, Hampton will be focused on keeping her Chelsea place for the remainder of this season and beyond. The next few months could well bring a historic quadruple, with the Blues in control of the WSL title race, set to contest the Conti Cup final on March 31, into the FA Cup semi-finals and targeting the elusive Champions League as Hayes prepares to bow out.

There is no summer tournament for England this year, but six Euro 2025 qualifiers between early April and mid-July could give three-cap Hampton, an unused member of Sarina Wiegman's squads at both Euro 2022 and last summer's World Cup, the chance to begin staking her international claim.