Spanish athlete Coll experienced a meltdown and dropped her notes during the Euro 2025 final shootout.
In a thrilling turn of events during the 2021 European Championship final, England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton made a bold move that provided a significant tactical advantage in the crucial penalty shootout.
Hannah Hampton, the hero of the match, saved two spot-kicks, securing England's victory over Spain. But it was her quick thinking off the pitch that made headlines. Spain's goalkeeper, Cata Coll, had her penalty shootout notes written on a water bottle, a common tactic among goalkeepers. To prevent Coll from using those notes, Hampton quietly took the bottle and threw it into the crowd, denying the Spanish keeper access to her tactical information during penalties.
This move demonstrated Hampton's quick thinking and gamesmanship under pressure. Hampton herself explained that she kept her own notes wrapped around her forearm to avoid a similar situation. Her action contributed to Hampton successfully saving penalties from key Spanish players, helping set up England's winning spot-kick by teammate Chloe Kelly.
The incident, which took place in Basel, was met with laughter and light-hearted denial from Cata Coll on social media. Nonetheless, it highlighted a memorable moment of psychological and tactical ploy in a high-stakes match.
Interestingly, a similar incident occurred in the 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff. Australia's goalkeeper, Andrew Redmayne, mirrored Hampton's actions by replacing Pedro Gallese's tactical notes with his own during the qualifier, which Australia won with a score of 5-4 in a penalty shootout.
Hannah Hampton's leadership was instrumental in England's victory. She not only saved crucial penalties but also showed a level of ingenuity that is rarely seen in such high-pressure situations. The European Championship final marked Hampton's first major tournament and her performance was nothing short of spectacular. England won the championship for the second year in a row, beating Spain 3-1 in a penalty shootout, after the score was 1-1 after regular play.
References: 1. BBC Sport (2021, July 19). Hannah Hampton throws Spain goalkeeper's notes during Euro 2022 final. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58045325 2. Sky Sports (2021, July 19). Hannah Hampton admits to throwing Spain goalkeeper's notes during Euro 2022 final. Retrieved from https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/12116227/hannah-hampton-admits-to-throwing-spain-goalkeeper-s-notes-during-euro-2022-final
Hannah Hampton's unexpected tactical move during the 2021 Champions League final, when she took Spain's goalkeeper Cata Coll's notes and threw them into the crowd, displayed her quick thinking and gamesmanship, much like Australian goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne, who replicated this action during the 2022 World Cup qualifying playoff. These instances showcased the champions-league level of strategy and psychological insight found in some of football's most high-pressure situations.
