Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has found herself at the center of controversy following comments made by former England teammate Mary Earps.
The drama erupted after Earps’ upcoming autobiography, All In, suggested Hampton’s behaviour during England’s Euro 2022 campaign was “disruptive and unreliable.”
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has now stepped in to defend her player and call out Earps’ lack of respect.
Bompastor Stands Up for Hampton and Wiegman
Speaking after Chelsea’s 2-0 win over London City Lionesses, Bompastor did not hold back.
“It’s not acceptable to show a lack of respect to your teammates or managers,” she said, referencing Earps’ criticism.
She also defended former England manager Sarina Wiegman, pointing out the three-time Euro-winning coach deserved respect.
Bompastor added: “If you look at what Hannah has said about Mary versus what Mary is saying about her now, one of them is class, and that’s Hannah.”
The Chelsea boss highlighted Hampton’s professionalism, both on and off the pitch, and praised her resilience in the face of public scrutiny.
Hampton Shines Despite the Controversy
Hampton, 24, responded to the pressure by keeping her third consecutive clean sheet the day after the first extracts of Earps’ book were published.
Bompastor celebrated the goalkeeper’s mental strength and skill: “She’s grown so much since I joined Chelsea.
She’s not just a professional athlete but a great person. What she achieved today shows her class and professionalism.”
The manager made it clear that Hampton has full support from the club: “She knows she can trust me and come talk anytime.
For now, she’s fine. We’ll continue to support her and find solutions where needed.”
The Earps-Hampton History
Mary Earps played a key role in England’s Euro 2022 victory and famously saved a penalty in the World Cup final defeat by Spain a year later.
In her book, Earps claims Hampton was dropped from the squad post-Euro 2022 due to “bad behaviour,” though Wiegman described the absence as related to a “personal matter.”
Hampton, then 21, was later reintegrated into the team, with Wiegman emphasizing that she “deserves a second chance.”
Earps did not provide detailed examples of Hampton’s conduct but told The Guardian: “We had a different idea of what being a teammate looked like … the goalkeeper dynamic was professional throughout and was difficult sometimes.”
By 2024, Wiegman began rotating goalkeepers and told Earps in April 2025 that she was no longer first-choice ahead of the Euros.
Earps retired shortly before the tournament, where Hampton excelled, saving two penalties in the final against Spain.
Hampton’s Respectful Response to Earps
Despite the tension, Hampton has previously praised Earps, highlighting her contributions to women’s football: “She probably doesn’t deserve the scrutiny she gets.
Mary changed goalkeeping and inspired the next generation.”
Bompastor concluded that Chelsea remains fully committed to supporting Hampton, emphasizing the club’s backing of their young star amid the ongoing public debate.