'A bonus' - Lionesses star Hannah Hampton opens up on battle with Mary Earps to be England No.1 and what she's doing to make Sarina Wiegman's decision 'really difficult'

Earps has been her country's first-choice goalkeeper ever since Wiegman took over in September 2021, starring in the Lionesses' European Championship triumph in 2022 and their historic run to a first Women's World Cup final in 2023.

However, she is now facing increased competition for her place from Hampton, who has started four of England's last five games. While one of those was due to a hip injury sustained by Earps early into a May clash against France, she was back for the Lionesses' most recent Euro qualifiers and Wiegman instead selected Hampton for both.

Asked about that battle to be England's No.1 at the Women's Super League season launch media day last week, Hampton said: "Everyone’s dream is to play for England and to be given any sort of opportunity, you’re always going to relish those moments and take the opportunity as best you can. I have no idea whether I’ve done that or not and what Sarina is thinking, but whenever I have the opportunity to put on an England shirt, whether that be training or playing games, I’m beaming with a smile from ear to ear. It’s such an honour and proud moment for me. You’re always going to cherish those moments.

"There’s so many more things I want to achieve in an England shirt and I want to be able to play in big games, so to be able to have that opportunity in the last couple of international camps with the qualifiers, it was a special moment. To say that I’ve helped the team qualify for the Euros, nothing comes better than that really. My next step is to keep playing as many games as I possibly can and keep making Sarina’s decision really difficult on who she’s going to put down on that team sheet first. At the end of the day, I’m just going out and enjoying my football. If I enjoy it, I play my best, anything else that comes with it is a bonus for me."

The competition between Earps and Hampton is particularly interesting going into the 2024-25 season, as both are battling to be England's No.1 at next summer's European Championship. The Lionesses will be the defending champions at that tournament in Switzerland.

Hampton's opportunities to show good club form start on September 20, as reigning WSL champions Chelsea get the new league season underway at home to Aston Villa. Earps, meanwhile, is taking on a new challenge at Paris Saint-Germain, whose domestic campaign begins the following day away at Montpellier.