Footage of England’s European Championship-winning penalty shoot-out with Spain has come under scrutiny after Spanish goalkeeper Cata Coll disputed Hannah Hampton’s claim that she had thrown her opponent’s cheat sheet into the crowd.
The England international was near-pitch perfect from the spot, saving two penalties from Mariona Caldentey and Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati.
Salma Paralleulo missed her attempt to confirm England’s successful trophy defence, with Hampton one of the standouts of the campaign.
In the wake of the victory, Hampton shared that she had noticed that her opposite number’s guide for where England players might place their penalties was taped to her water bottle, and subsequently disposed of it.
But after the interview surfaced, Coll took to X to mock the claim, writing: ‘Okay, okay, calm down, calm down. At least if it were true…’
Now, a Spanish commenter has posted on social media a theory defending Coll’s statement, circling what they believe to be the Spain No1’s bottle wrapped in a towel present throughout the shoot.
Hannah Hampton became a Lionesses hero for her role in England’s Euro 2025-winning shoot-out versus Spain
After claiming to throw the water bottle of her opposite number Cata Coll into the crowd, the Spain No1 hit back on social media
Coll was filmed clutching her water bottle – with a guide to England’s takers – inside a towel
‘Well, I’ve watched the replay of the penalty shootout and…’ the account began, before labelling images in a carousel which appeared to show Coll carrying the bottle wrapped in a towel.
Something which appeared to be the towel was present to the right of goal for the duration of the shoot-out.
But there were additional unwrapped bottles in the back of the goal and to the left of it, close to the advertising hoardings, and it was unclear as to whether Coll had the bottle wrapped in the towel after reaching the goal itself before the shoot-out.
Fans commenting on the post suggested that the account was perhaps taking the revelation from Hampton a little too seriously, wondering if Hampton had made the comment as a ‘joke’.
Another account suggested that Hampton may have thought she was throwing the correct bottle out of reach, but instead selected one of the other branded bottles to toss out of harm’s way.
Sitting down with talkSPORT, Hampton had explained: ‘The Spanish keeper had it (the penalty information) on her bottle, so I thought when she was going in goal, I’d just pick it up and chuck it into the English fans so she can’t have it.
‘I don’t ever put it on a bottle because anyone can do that so I put it on my arm.’
An incredulous Sam Matterface replied: ‘Picked up her bottle and threw it?’
As Beth Mead stepped up to take England’s first, a user on social media believed they could see the water bottle being placed by Coll (ringed)
A white shape to the right of goal was identified as the water bottle by the commenter
The alleged water bottle appeared to stay in place throughout the shoot-out, which saw Spain miss three times
Hampton cleverly concealed her information on the Spanish takers by writing on her arm
‘Yeah, it wasn’t hard,’ Hampton continued. ‘When she’s gone in the goal, it’s on its own isn’t it? It’s in the towel.’
When Coll returned to her towel, she was visibly confused to find a replacement bottle – which Hampton had put there – but no notes, and was left searching for her original one.
‘She was walking back to take the penalty and I was walking the other way and she was so confused, and I was just trying not to burst out laughing, being like, “I don’t know what’s happening!”.’
Hampton’s heroics between the sticks have since earnt her a nomination for the Yachine Trophy at this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The Chelsea goalkeeper is also the third-favourite to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year at 15/2 with Sky Bet, behind fellow Lioness Chloe Kelly who is the odds-on favourite, and Masters winner Rory McIlroy.
