‘Both world class’: Wiegman undecided over Hampton and Earps for Euro 2025 | OneFootball

Sarina Wiegman says she is yet to decide who will be England’s No 1 goalkeeper at this summer’s European Championship in Switzerland.

Mary Earps and Hannah Hampton are fighting for the spot and started one match each during England’s most recent fixtures in February. Paris Saint-Germain’s Earps, 32, has 53 caps and was a mainstay in the Lionesses side that won the 2022 Euros and reached the final of the World Cup in 2023, when she was crowned the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year. Chelsea’s Hampton, 24, has 11 caps and got the nod for February’s win over the world champions, Spain.

“It’s a very, very hard decision to make,” Wiegman said after naming her squad for April’s double-header of Women’s Nations League meetings with Belgium. “They’re both world class. They both bring a little bit different things, but that makes it really hard. We haven’t decided. If we make the decision, first we’ll have the conversations with them. Then we’ll move forward.”

Manchester City’s Khiara Keating and Orlando Pride’s Anna Moorhouse have also been selected among a quartet of keepers. The fit-again Brighton forward Fran Kirby has been included along with her clubmate Maisie Symonds, who has received a first call-up amid injuries to midfielders including Georgia Stanway. Arsenal’s Beth Mead returns after injury but there is no place for Tottenham’s Jessica Naz, whom Wiegman said had been “close for selection”.

The Guardian reported on Saturday that England were facing another impasse with the Football Association over bonuses, with the squad yet to agree terms for their Euros title defence. Wiegman said she was not involved in those talks but offered a positive take: “From what I’ve heard from it, we’re going in the right direction. And I hope we keep going and we get to an agreement very quickly because that brings calmness before a tournament.”

Wiegman was also asked about the launch of the World Sevens Football series, a women’s seven-a-side competition which will begin with a three-day event in Portugal from 21-23 May. The participating teams have not been confirmed and Wiegman expressed concern about where the series would fit into the fixture calendar in future.

“If you look at the short term before these Euros now, we have a very good contact with clubs and [if] they would get some, I would say meaningful minutes to get prepared for the Euros and do what’s right to get [in] the best possible shape for the Euros, then in this short term, for some it would not be too bad,” she said. “But in the longer term I don’t see how we can fit that in the schedule in the calendar.”

The Lionesses host Belgium at Ashton Gate in Bristol on Friday 4 April before playing at Leuven’s Den Dreef stadium the following Tuesday.

Header image: [Composite: The FA/Action Images]