Hannah Hampton ‘stands on shoulders of greats’ after winning inaugural women’s Yashin Trophy – ‘An achievement for women’s goalkeeping’

She also helped Chelsea win a historic domestic treble of Women’s Super League, Women’s FA Cup and Women’s League Cup titles as The Blues enjoyed an unbeaten season.

“I don’t think it’s an achievement for me, I think it’s an achievement for women’s goalkeeping,” Hampton said. “I stand on the shoulders of so many great goalkeepers of the past.

“Sitting along with my fellow nominees, it’s an honour to be a part of such an incredible group and inspiring goalkeepers of the future generation coming through.”

Hampton also paid tribute to former Liverpool manager Matt Beard, who died on Saturday aged 47.

“The women’s game sadly lost a trailblazer, Matt Beard,” Hampton said.

“Matt was someone who cared an awful lot for the women’s game before anyone else did. He lit up the room when everyone was in it. And it’s just a message to show not everyone should have to go through these dark moments alone. Sometimes the brightest smiles in the room hide the heaviest pain, and he will be greatly missed.”

The Yashin Trophy is awarded to the best goalkeeper in the world for the 2024/25 season, and Hampton saw off some illustrious company to claim the prize for the first time.

Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany, Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Spain, Barcelona), Chiamaka Nnadozie (Nigeria, Paris FC/Brighton) and Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands, Arsenal) shared the shortlist with Hampton at Monday’s ceremony in the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris – where Earps was on stage to hand over the award.

This is the first time that the Yashin Trophy – like the Kopa Trophy for best young player – has been extended to the women’s game, making Hampton a historic first-time winner of the prestigious award.

It completes a remarkable year for the 24-year-old, who had spells with Villarreal and Stoke City as a youth player before making her senior breakthrough at Birmingham City.

Hampton was named Young Player of the Season in 2018/19 and penned a new contract with The Blues, before joining their cross-town rivals Aston Villa in 2021.

After two years with Villa, Hampton signed for Chelsea on a three-year deal, becoming the London club’s first-choice goalkeeper in the 2023/24 campaign.

But she shot to international prominence in 2024/25, keeping 13 clean sheets in 22 WSL games for champions Chelsea as they became the first team to have an unbeaten season.

Earps’ announcement that she was retiring from international football on the eve of the Euros in May left the door open for Hampton to seize the starting shirt.

She took it with both hands, producing memorable saves in penalty shoot-out wins over Sweden in the quarter-finals and Spain in the final.

Hampton was named player of the match for the final and was subsequently named in the Euro 2025 team of the tournament.

Gianluigi Donnarumma of Manchester City and Italy won the men’s Yashin prize thanks to his efforts with Paris Saint-Germain in 2024/25.

The towering shot-stopper put in a string of outstanding performances to help the French club claim the UEFA Champions League for the first time, completing an unprecedented treble along with Ligue 1 and Coupe de France titles.

Donnarumma kept 17 clean sheets in 47 appearances in all competitions for PSG last season, including in the 5-0 thrashing of Internazionale in a memorable European final in Munich.

However, he was surprisingly deemed surplus to requirements by the Parisian club’s manager Luis Enrique in the summer and sealed a deadline-day move to Man City.

The Italy No. 1 has made an impressive start to life in the Premier League, keeping a clean sheet on his debut in the derby against Manchester United before repeating the feat against Napoli in the Champions League.