'tough Times Don't Last' - Kelly And Hampton Shine After Adversity

It was not truthful agelong agone that Chloe Kelly was considering taking a break from shot and Hannah Hampton had been dropped from nan England squad.

How things change. Now nan brace person been heralded arsenic England's Euro 2025 heroines arsenic nan Lionesses hit Spain successful a punishment shootout to clasp their title.

Kelly, subbed connected successful nan 40th infinitesimal for Lauren James, provided nan inch-perfect transverse for Alessia Russo's equaliser.

Hampton made a drawstring of important saves during nan crippled earlier denying some Mariona Caldentey and Aitana Bonmati successful nan punishment shootout - allowing Kelly to smash location nan winning spot-kick to nonstop England fans into pandemonium.

"I was adamant I wasn't missing 2 connected nan bounce," said Kelly, who had drilled location nan rebound aft her punishment was saved successful their semi-final triumph complete Italy.

"I was cool, I was composed. I knew I was going to deed nan backmost of nan net. I don't miss penalties twice."

England leader Sarina Wiegman said it was "a spot for illustration a fairytale" for Hampton to make 2 shootout saves successful nan final.

The 24-year-old was nan attraction of attraction from nan first infinitesimal successful Switzerland, stepping up arsenic England's first-choice keeper pursuing Mary Earps' status 5 weeks earlier.

"Hannah Hampton has been put successful nan spotlight. Has she stood up, has she stood tall? The biggest of big," said erstwhile England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis connected BBC One.

"To triumph your squad back-to-back European Championships - beryllium proud Hannah Hampton."

Seven months ago, things were looking very different for Kelly.

The 27-year-old was fearing for her spot successful England's Euros squad pursuing a difficult commencement to nan play pinch Manchester City, wherever she made conscionable 1 Women's Super League (WSL) commencement successful nan first 4 months of nan campaign.

But aft a toxic stand-off pinch nan club, Kelly signed for Arsenal connected indebtedness successful January, and made her move permanent successful July.

The winger has not only "refound her smile", but has won nan Women's Champions League pinch nan Gunners and helped England triumph different Euros - scoring nan decisive extremity successful nan last erstwhile again.

"If that's a communicative to show personification possibly experiencing thing nan aforesaid - reliable times don't last," Kelly said.

"Just astir nan area was a Champions League final, won that, and now a Euros final, won that."

Kelly has had to settee for a spot connected nan chair successful Switzerland, but each clip she has travel connected she has made a quality for England.

Against Sweden, she provided nan assistance to kickstart a comeback earlier scoring successful nan shootout.

In nan semi-final triumph complete Italy, it was Kelly's extremity that sealed England's spot successful nan last pinch conscionable 1 infinitesimal of other clip to spare.

"Thank you to everyone who wrote maine disconnected - I'm grateful," Kelly said successful a media convention aft nan final.

Speaking astir Wiegman, Kelly added: "She gave maine dream erstwhile I astir apt didn't person any. She gave maine an opportunity to correspond my state again."

Hampton, who has been playing her first awesome tourney arsenic England's first-choice goalkeeper, had large shoes to capable successful Switzerland.

Earps - doubly named arsenic nan champion women's goalkeeper successful nan world - had played important roles successful England's triumph astatine Euro 2022 and connected nan measurement to nan 2023 World Cup final.

But Hampton, who looked apt to commencement astatine nan Euros moreover earlier Earps' retirement, has proved she deserves nan number 1 shirt.

"At nan commencement of nan tourney did you deliberation Hannah Hampton would beryllium nan star? Perhaps not. You wondered really she was going to do," ex-Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha said.

"Look really good she has done connected nan biggest stage. To prevention those penalties - and these were really bully saves. She backed herself 100%.

"An astonishing infinitesimal to spot her beryllium that important to nan team."

Just months aft England's Euro triumph successful 2022, Hampton was dropped from nan squad.

Reports suggested it was because of her behaviour, and she had to hold until March 2023 for a recall, erstwhile Wiegman said Hampton had "sorted retired individual issues".

Speaking to BBC One pursuing her shootout heroics successful nan 2025 final, Hampton said: "All I tin really opportunity is convey you to Sarina [Wiegman] for each nan belief and religion that she's had successful me.

"She knew what I was tin of and she really put that successful maine to really spell and showcase what I tin do."

Hampton, who helped Chelsea triumph a home treble this season, has shown precisely what she is tin of passim nan tournament.

After losing their opening crippled against France, Hampton was instrumental successful helping England bounce backmost against nan Netherlands - pinch a sublime defence-splitting walk starting nan onslaught for England's first extremity and mounting nan tempo for a connection 4-0 performance.

Then, successful their quarter-final against Sweden, she pulled disconnected 2 superb saves successful nan shootout to thief support England's title defence alive.

"The girls person tally astir for 120 minutes, truthful nan slightest I tin do is prevention a mates of pens present and location and thief nan squad retired successful immoderate measurement I can," Hampton told BBC Radio 5 Live aft nan final.

She added connected BBC One: "There's still a batch much to travel from me. For my first awesome tournament, to triumph it is not excessively bad."