Hampton faces backlash over bottle claim

England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton is at the center of a postfinal row after claiming to have discarded a rival keeper’s water bottle during the Euro 2025 final against Spain.

Hampton faces backlash over water bottle claim in Euro final

England’s goalkeeper Hannah Hampton has been drawn into a postfinal dispute after claiming she threw Spain’s water bottle away during the penalties in the Euro 2025 final. The match ended 1-1 after 120 minutes, and England won the shootout 3-1 with Hampton saving two of Spain’s kicks. Hampton spoke on talkSPORT, saying she grabbed the bottle and tossed it into the English crowd so Spain’s penalty notes taped to it could not be used. Images from the moment show a water bottle on the field during the shootout, which has kept the claim in play.

The episode shows how social media can escalate unresolved claims in a high stakes moment. If true, the act could be seen as sharp gamesmanship; if false, it risks unfairly tainting a memorable performance. The incident also highlights how coverage of women’s football blends onfield feats with personal narratives, making every postmatch moment part of a larger story about resilience and controversy. There has been swift online pushback from Spain’s camp, and the lack of an official statement leaves the truth to be sorted by fans and media, not by governing bodies at the moment.

Highlights

The final whistle can spark more questions than answers, and the real test is how the sport moves from dispute to understanding.