That Lionesses Podcast - Hampton & Russo: Nosebleeds, Semi-finals! & Proper England | That Lionesses Podcast Connected by EE

Episode Date: July 19, 2025

Following that nail-biting quarter-final win against Sweden, Harriet is joined by Hannah Hampton and Alessia Russo! They discuss THAT penalty shootout, the drama including Hannah’s nose-bleed, and the mysterious note from Esme. They also explain the impact the fans’ support had and look forward to the semi-final against Italy. Follow @lionesses on Instagram, WhatsApp and X, plus @england on TikTok, Facebook and YouTube so you don’t miss a thing! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I think that was the wildest penalty shoot out we've been involved in. Don't, I can't even fathom that. I can't, because all of us, it was like, what's going on? I was stood next to Elle-J and she kept going, so what happens now? I was like, don't know, we'll just wait and see. When I was having blood out my nose, the first thing I did was cover it like this. And I was like, and then Chloe was just taking the mick out of me going, you've got one lost room.

And then it just went from that. We like to make it fun. We like to make it exciting. Let's be honest. We like to keep all the fans on their toes and having no hearts left watching the game. No, I have none left. Yeah.

My aura ring thought I did a marathon. So did mine. Hello and welcome to that Lionesses podcast connected by EE. I'm Harriet Rose and boy, oh boy, or should I say girl, oh girl, our spirits high today as we reflect on that nail-biting quarterfinal against Sweden. I mean, you can literally hear it in my voice. I've barely got anything left.

Today we're going to be talking all about the resilience of the team and how they turned it around. Plus, we'll be looking ahead to the semi-final. And to do that, I am joined by two superstars from Thursday's game. It is Hannah Hampton and Alessia Russo. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow. England are in the semi-final. How does that feel, guys? Feels great, doesn't it? It's unbelievable. I don't think we've got the energy, to be honest, to give you the response that you're after.

Babe, that is the response I'm after. You don't have to scream and shout. You've been playing a lot of football in the last 24 hours. Listen, last night was mad. As you can hear from my voice I was screaming for the whole time. How would you summarise the way you're feeling right now in an emoji? Just the one that's got the smiley face with the massive grin. Yeah, yeah, yeah, good one. Actually you're giving a bit of that with the grin. Maybe the tired emoji? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Good one. Actually, you're giving a bit of that with the grin.

Maybe the tired emoji? Yeah, tired emoji. Or maybe the nose-blowing emoji, because you've had a bit of a... Really are. Babe, I'm not surprised. Really are. I will say that was giving, like... You know, like, movie... The person in the movie who's about to kind of have their moment bleeding everywhere.

You look like a warrior. It was like Braveheart vibes. That was just what I was after. Yeah, you were thinking I need to channel Braveheart at the end of this. It was a chaotic few minutes but you, Alex, Lucy. Bronzie just taping herself. Yeah, but I mean yeah, extremely physical game. I also loved seeing Chloe, because we were sort of like a bit far away from you

when it actually happened. Chloe ran to get you a new shirt like straight away. So I was like, what's going on? Why does she need a new shirt? She must be bleeding. Yeah, but I didn't actually realize what was going on. Because I know I got smacked in the face. Yeah.

And then I just like put my hand to my face and there was no blood to be given. I thought, oh I've got away with one here. Yeah. And then I've like sat up and it's just come pouring out and Chloe's there like, stay calm, sit still. I'm thinking, what's wrong? You were like, what do you mean? I'm chill. Yeah, I thought I'm fine. And then just blood was going everywhere. It was an immense game. We're gonna get into that shortly, but I wanna know what was the first thing you guys did

when you got back to the changing room? Yeah, it was weird because everyone was obviously really happy, but everyone was so tired. So I think we danced for one or two songs and then everyone was like, right, shower. Let's go see our family and get to bed. Honestly, and it was a late game. Like, way past all of our bedtime, but it worked because we're through to bed. Honestly, and it was a late game. Like it's way past all of our bedtime,

but it worked because we're through to the semis, which is unreal. Hannah, you obviously did the media lineup, which was to be honest, iconic. You took a FaceTime call, which was my favourite part of it. Who is Paul? And like, let's shout out to him. Paul.

Yeah, it was Paul, right? His name. Well, there was loads of them. But you will, I to him. Paul. Yeah, it was Paul right, his name? Well there was loads of them. But I heard him the most. Yeah, because he was about to speak and I was like Paul I've not got time. He said Paul, I'm a little bit busy. Yeah, no literally just friends back in England

watching the game, there was quite a few of them all together. That's so cute. All at one of their's and yeah they were just going mad. My phone, I was going back to them and it was just non-stop from them and then they just started FaceTiming me and it was going off so many times during the press conference. I was a bit like, I'm just going to have to answer this. Yeah, Paul couldn't care less that you were in a press conference. He was like, Hun, you've just gone through to the semis, let's have a chat. He was not having any of it.

The good vibes had started before the game even began. I was in the fan walk all the way to the stadium. The vibes were immaculate. We had like people from all the houses as we were walking along, like not English people holding out their England football shirts out of the windows. It was unbelievable unbelievable the energy was mad. When we were doing our little stadium walkout that we do before the game we heard them like they must have been walking right by the stadium and Beth was like oh that's the then they're doing the fan walk because obviously someone had told her that they were almost at the stadium and they were really loud and they were all the all the way over the other side so it's so

cool like that's just moments that you kind of don't get to live as a player, like how much it means to other people. And yeah, they're kind of built up to the game. So when we win, it's nice to kind of celebrate with them after a little bit and just enjoy how much they give to us as well. It was a real loud noise in the stadium last night. The energy was brought from the walk into the stadium. It was insane hearing the power in people's voices.

Could you hear it though? Cause there's a bit of a gap. There is, but you could definitely hear it last night. You could. Yeah, you could. Especially in the penalty shootout. There was non-stop cheering. But I've saw so many videos of the fans reacting

to the result and I would be surprised if they have voices today. Yeah, I woke up and the first thing I did was a voice and I was like, hello. It was intense, but it was worth every second. I cried twice. Did you? At which points?

I cried when you scored your first in the penalty shootout. Because at that point it was like, I really feel like that was a moment where we needed that first goal to go in, for it to kind of, you know when it's like, I don't know, it just felt like that then created the momentum of, okay, we're in this. Yeah. We definitely needed that goal. that then created the momentum of okay we've we're in this yeah we definitely needed that goal yeah I know he sure was so mad oh I think that's wildest penalty shoot out we've been involved don't I can't even fathom I can't because all of us it was like what's going on like it was still going and still going.

Yeah, I think I got a bit confused at one point on who had to score, Renu had to... Not your monkey, not your circus. I was stood next to Elge and she kept going, so what happens now? I was like, don't know, we'll just wait and see. Truly, that was me the whole way through the game. But what happens now? What does this mean? Yeah. How did that feel, though, putting that first one in the net?

Yeah, it felt great. I practiced a lot of different things and different techniques and stuff, and I was disappointed to not score in the game. So I felt like that was a moment where, yeah, you just have to step up and deliver as best as you can. But even stepping up, like,

to take a penalty takes a lot. So like all the girls that did step up, like, yeah, it's so proud to take that choice and be willing to do that in a moment that, yeah, the pressure was so high. I can't, I physically cannot even imagine. I would rather do anything else. And so it's, on both both sides like I think it's

squeaky bum time is the phrase I keep using the whole of that moment was just unbelievable to watch. Hannah you obviously had your nose bleed you had to cotton wool up your nose. Yeah. You managed to keep going was it Chloe who said to you do you know what actually maybe you need to only play with one nostril. When I was having blood out my nose the first thing I did was cover it like this and I was like, and then Chloe was just taking the mick out of me going you've got one nostril and then it just went from that. I mean honestly it's crazy.

Did you manage to get all the cotton wool out though? That was all fine. I mean wake up with cotton wool up your nose did you? No that was coming straight out. Did you see the photo of you and the girl from She's the Man? Yeah, that, I'm not gonna lie, iconic. It's one of my favorite films as well.

I've literally been sent so many memes from last night. But everyone is so behind you, and that specific one I just saw, it said something like the caption was like, our queen, and it was like tampon up the nose iconic but you know what though tampons are very useful for many things so in future we need to make sure we have some for you just in case that happens again I guess. For the nosebleeds. Yeah just throw a Chloe Kelly throwing a tampon at you. Hannah we've got to give a shout out to Alessia and the other outfield players who played

120 plus minutes yesterday. They ran for every ball. They didn't give up. I mean, what are your thoughts on how that all went down? The level of stamina that that takes. Yeah, I can do that. And I don't really want to do that. But no, I think when Alessia says that she's disappointed she doesn't score, I don't do that. And I don't really want to do that. But no, I think when Les says that she's disappointed she doesn't score,

I don't think people realise all the other things that she does with the hold-up play, getting something out of nothing, all the running that she constantly does and the pressing and just getting the team up the pitch. I think it goes a lot further than what she thinks. Definitely at the defensive line, we're very much appreciative of that. And so yeah, all the girls did an amazing shift that one 20 minutes, so I thought in the penalty shootout,

this is my way of repaying them and thanking them for all the work that they put in, so we could get back. Yeah, you did do that. You did that. Oh, the clicks. The clicks, the clicks. At halftime, you're obviously two nil down, a tricky place to be, but as Leah said, you can never write off Lyonesses.

She was right. Yeah, you can. Yeah. I think also in the dressing room, like at half time we were really calm and yeah, I don't think any of us, not one single person here wanted to go home. So we knew that all it would take is one moment and yeah, I think we scored two in two minutes, was it? Yeah, it was crazy.

So yeah, we wanted to stay for sure. Yeah, and I think it's that, I think I saw, maybe it was you, Alessia, talking about it and it was like, you went into the dressing room and that decision was like, oh no, we don't wanna go home, we're gonna do this, and it's just like that push. Do you think that's what really helped? Yeah, and I think trust in the squad that we have as well,

players that start, players that come in, we have players that can make a difference and show up, and yeah, we definitely did that. I mean, Chloe came on assisted too, Miesch obviously scored, Lucy stepped up with her goal too. So we have players that can just find their moment and yeah, so they did it in the game, you did it in the shootout and we're through. I mean, simple as that. Main word to summarise the game would have to be resilience. As we said, two nil down

at half time, then two goals from Lucy and Michelle, two minutes apart, 10 to 15 minutes from it potentially being the end of the journey. Where do you find that push? Yeah, but I think it's just the English blood that we have. I mean, you look at the first game against France, everyone was saying it's not gonna go very well. We came back in the next two games to get out of the group and again, went

two-nil down, regrouped a half time, came back to send it to extra time. I think it's just the proper English way of doing things. We like to make it fun. We like to make it exciting. Let's be honest. We like to keep all the fans on their toes and having no hearts left watching the game. No, I have none left.

Yeah. My aura ring thought I did a marathon. So did mine. I love that I'm comparing that to you. Probably yours is a bit worse. We mentioned Lucy's goal. She had an unbelievable night. Yeah.

A stellar penalty. That penalty. I'm reliving it right now whilst we're having this conversation. The way she was flying into the blocks and the challenges, what do you enjoy most about playing with Lucy? She's just so passionate, like so, she will just do anything to win, she's like a born winner, not even just in football, just in every single thing in life. And to have someone like that on your team is so empowering. I think she inspires every single one of us with how she is, what she does.

And yeah, she's just a legend, isn't she? Yeah, she is. I don't think there's gonna be another Lucy Bronze anytime soon. And she's someone that you always want around. She's helped me so much. Being in and around the environment. And it's funny,'s funny she called it she goes I'll score this one they'll miss or you'll save it and we're done and that's what happened okay she's clairvoyant that should be our side I know right I'm just gonna get

some messages to her to get the lottery next week. I mean it's amazing and like you said, you kind of need also that in those moments, like you say, she said that in a moment where it is squeaky bum time and you kind of need that energy of like, oh okay, that's what's going to happen, cool. Yeah, you definitely get it from her. Yeah, she's very authoritative but in like a really positive, empowering way. The best way. Like she lifts people up.

And like you said, a lot of the players have mentioned how much they've gained from her sort of advice. In what ways has she supported you the most, would you say? Just across the board? I think she realizes that me and her see the games differently. We kind of go about it in a different viewpoint

that probably others would. And just helped me be able to communicate that with others. And we see the same pictures, but we both can't always get it across to people in the ways that we want it to get across to people. So she's helped me a lot off the pitch. And on the pitch, she's helped me a lot off the pitch and on the pitch she's always there backing me and encouraging me knowing that she has belief in what I

can do for the team and yeah I think just having someone like Bronzie being able to constantly support you it just makes you want to almost do it for her as well as doing it for the team. Just to be like, yeah, thanks. Like I appreciate all all the support you've given me. I love hearing how much you feel this energy of wanting to do it for the team. Like, as you said, at the end, you were like, you know what? This is me giving back for you running around constantly on the attack for over 120 minutes.

Like, it's such a beautiful way to have a mindset about a game, like I need to give this back to the girls. And you really did that. England have scored three goals via subs in the year of 2025, more than any other team. Is that a testament again to the depth of the squad? Yeah, for sure. Like I said before we have players

that can come on and change your game and you need that in tournament football like there's a lot of games in not a lot of days so to have a massive squad full of players that can yeah come on make impact, score goals, create goals, save goals like everyone who's come on this whole tournament has impacted in such a positive way and I think we really appreciate that as well and the way that the team is really connected in that has a lot of power as well and you saw that the other night when Beth and Aggie assisted each other and then Mieshe and Chloe, like, Beth was in and amongst it as well.

So it's great. It's exactly what you want and exactly what you need in tournament football. We need to talk about the note. I'm obsessed with the notes. Esme passed a note to Lucy and Leah, I think. Do you know what was on it? What's the tea?

No. I honestly don't have a clue. I didn't see it. I really hope they've taken out their sock because you know what a on it? What's the tea? You desperately don't know. I honestly don't have a clue. I didn't see it. I really hope they've taken out their sock because you know what a nightmare that's gonna be if it goes through the wash. I think there's gonna be bits of paper flying around their socks.

Did it go in Leah's sock? Yeah. I actually didn't see where it went. I don't know either. I saw Rose brought something on, but I don't have a clue what was on it, but whatever it was, it worked. Well, sometimes I just think it's like,

hey babes, you're doing great. Sometimes I just kind of want it, it's like a joke. Keep doing what you're doing. Yeah, smashing it, girly, loving it. But like maybe it is just that. I would love a note like that. I'll try and get you one for the next game. I'll try and get you one.

Now, before we go, we've got to talk about next week's semi-final against Italy. I know you've barely breathed since the last game but 120 minutes plus penalties is a lot. You know, talk to me about the recovery from the game that you're going to be doing to make sure you're ready for the next one. Lots. Yeah. Lots and lots. What's your favorite thing that you do recovery wise? At the moment I'm enjoying cryo. Yes I was going to say like it's not one that you'd think is amazing. Standing in minus 120 odd? Wearing oven mitts. Oven mitts, a beanie, some big slippers. It's a very odd thing to do. It is but it's so good. It's so nice. And you just feel amazed because I did because I had to do a cold shower this morning because I was so stressed still.

Is it kind of just like having a very long, intense cold shower? Yeah, but you don't get wet. So it's like, it's weird. It's like standing in the snow for like three minutes. That's actually the right way of putting it. Yeah. Okay, so lots of cryo for you two over the next few days.

Yeah. England are back fighting in another semi-final, a place you deserve to be. Alessia, what feels different this time and how's the team evolved from 2022? Yeah, I mean lots is different. I mean first and foremost the team's so different and there's lots of new players, new experiences and I think that that's important and holds a lot of value. The tournament's so different as well. Obviously we're not in England, we're out here, we're fighting in a different way. I think that, I don't think we went to penalties in the last Euros. I'm trying to think. I don't think we did.

We did extra time. Yeah. But that was it. But no, like there's lots of, no tournament is ever the same. Like there's so many differences and yeah, you kind of just take it as this one. Like obviously the past is amazing, but we're all just in the here and now right now. So we're all very focused on Switzerland

and this tournament and now Italy. And like you say, no tournament's ever the same and no one has seen anything like what we saw with you. Yeah. I'm really excited to see what goes down in Geneva because that's where the next game is. There's lots of chat, you're obviously playing against Italy. There's lots of chat online about world rankings,

Italy are 13th, England are fifth, but stats go out the window in knockout football, don't they? Because it's just the passion and the fire is totally different if you're fighting to stay in. No, I think it's just a game of 90 minutes, so it's only a one leg. So people, well players are just going to put their heart and soul into the games and Italy have done unbelievable with where they're getting so far in the tournament. I think this is the furthest they've gotten in a year as tournament so they're gonna obviously treat it like a final and try and cause an upset because they've they've been

unbelievable this whole tournament with their group and beating Norway in the last game. But you guys are also gonna bring it. You're gonna bring it. Also finally did you know that pubs in the UK will be allowed to stay open till 1am for the semi-finals so no pressure but the country has cleared its schedule. Literally changed the laws for one night only for you guys. It's gonna be an iconic night. Hopefully. Sadly you guys can't be in the pubs with us, but we'll be rooting for you from the pub. Thanks.

Hannah and Lesia, thank you so much for joining me on that Lionesses podcast. Connected by EE, rest up and look after each other. Cryo for days in the recovery, and I hope the training goes well. Oh, and just like Esme, I have a note for you. It's for both of us? Yep. You can read it and then pass it on. Oh not together? You can read it together.

Okay. Oh that's cute. That is cute. What does it say? You're amazing, pass it on. That's for all of us isn't it guys? We think you are incredible, we're behind you. That was honestly one of the, that was the best I could come up with, so I'm probably not on Serena's level. No, that's fine, I would love a note like that. Okay, I'll get you one. Every time I see you, you're getting a note. Thank you. We will be back tomorrow getting even more excited for the semi-final and we need you

all behind us. Make sure you're following and subscribe from wherever you're watching, but also make sure you're joining us to cheer the girls along at the match and we'll see you next time. Oh my gosh. Bye!