Ballon d’Or winner and Lioness Hannah Hampton ‘was exceptional’

A former youth coach of Hannah Hampton, who has been named the world’s best goalkeeper, says her abilities were “jaw-dropping” from the moment she began playing in the position.

The Lioness and Chelsea player was awarded the Yashin Trophy for best male or female goalie at the prestigious Ballon d’Or 2025 awards in Paris on Monday.

West Bromwich Albion, who Hampton supports, sent “massive congratulations” on the win, while former team Birmingham City Women also saluted her achievement.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council posted: “Became a goalkeeper in Stoke-on-Trent, now she’s the best in the world. Congratulations to Stoke City Academy product Hannah Hampton.”

Hampton spent her early years in Warwickshire before moving to Spain, then joined Stoke City’s Academy U11s on returning to the UK.

She went to Erasmus Darwin Academy in Burntwood, Staffordshire, where both her parents taught, and went on to join Birmingham City, then Aston Villa.

Andrew Frost, who coached her at Stoke, said she ended up in goal by chance during a training session when a keeper did not turn up, and it was “a jaw-dropping moment, she was exceptional”.

She also had evident potential as an outfield player, and initially spent half her time in goal and half out, but it became “quite apparent she was something else in goal”.

Frost was mentioned in Hampton’s acceptance speech and said to see her pick up the accolade was what a “coach/recruitment guy dreams of seeing and I’m proud of her, and buzzing for her family”.

As a youngster, she had multiple operations to correct a squint that caused problems with depth perception and now lends her support to the hospital where she was treated.

“Massive congratulations to our ambassador,” wrote Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Charity on its Facebook page, “what an inspiration”.

In her speech at the ceremony, The Euros 2025 winner thanked her family and coaches, but also France Football for presenting the award to a woman for the first time

“I don’t think it’s an achievement for me but for women’s goalkeeping, that the award is finally now taking part,” she said.

“I stand on the shoulders of so many great goalkeepers of the past.

“Sitting alongside my fellow nominees, I’m proud to be a part of such an incredible group and inspiring future generations of goalkeepers coming through and training so hard.”