Well, what can I say? As I sit here writing this with a cup of coffee going cold (again!), I can’t help but grin from ear to ear thinking about what our magnificent Lionesses achieved in Basel last night. I’m still buzzing from Sunday night’s incredible Euro 2025 final!

They’ve only gone and done it again, haven’t they?

Defending champions. Back-to-back European Champions. The first team to retain the Euros having lost their opening game. I mean, seriously: if someone had written this script for a film, you’d have said it was too far-fetched to be believable!

But here’s the thing that gets me most excited about this triumph, and it’s not just the football. It’s what the Lionesses represents about never giving up on your dreams, no matter what obstacles life throws at you.

The Hero Who Shouldn’t Exist

Let me tell you about someone who embodies everything I believe in about following your dreams against all odds: our number one goalkeeper, Hannah Hampton. Now, Hannah’s story is one that hits me right in the feels, because it’s about being told you can’t do something and proving everyone spectacularly wrong.

Hannah was born with strabismus (crossed eyes) and has no depth perception. Think about that for a moment. She literally cannot judge distances properly. Doctors told her she’d never be able to play professional sport because it would be too dangerous. They said she couldn’t judge balls coming towards her.

Well, guess what? Hannah Hampton was the one who helped England win the European Championship by making crucial saves in a penalty shootout!

As someone who’s #OpenlyNeurodivergent myself, diagnosed with autism and ADHD, I know what it feels like to be told you can’t do things because you’re “different.” Hannah’s journey resonates with me so deeply because she’s living proof that our differences don’t have to define our limitations. They can actually become our superpowers.

When “Impossible” Becomes “Possible”

The girl who can’t pour a glass of water without spilling it (her teammates love winding her up about this!) is now one of the world’s best goalkeepers. How mental is that? She’s had to completely adapt how she plays the game, adjusting her positioning and technique to work around her visual impairment.

But here’s what I love most about Hannah: she doesn’t see it as a disability; she’s found ways to make it work for her. She’s turned what others saw as a weakness into part of her strength. That’s the kind of mindset that gets you through life, isn’t it?

During the tournament, watching Hannah command her penalty area with such confidence and authority, you’d never know she was dealing with something that medical professionals said would prevent her from playing sport at all. She’s rewritten the rulebook on what’s possible.

The Power of Resilience

This whole tournament was a masterclass in resilience, really. Losing that opening game to Switzerland, going 2-0 down against Sweden in the quarters, needing extra time against Italy in the semis: any other team might have crumbled. But not our Lionesses.

And isn’t that just like life? How many times do we get knocked down and have to find a way to get back up? How many times are we told something’s impossible, only to find a way to make it happen anyway?

I’ve been through my own share of challenges: losing my beautiful son Frankie to stillbirth, navigating life as someone who’s #OpenlyNeurodivergent, building a career in the male-dominated world of cyber security. There have been moments when I thought I couldn’t carry on, when the obstacles seemed insurmountable.

But watching these incredible women refuse to give up, watching Hannah Hampton prove that visual impairment doesn’t mean you can’t be a world-class goalkeeper, it reminds me why we must never stop fighting for our dreams.

More Than Just Football

What strikes me most about this Lionesses team is how they’ve embraced their differences and used them as strengths. They’ve got players from all backgrounds, all with their own stories of overcoming adversity. They’ve created something beautiful from diversity and inclusion: principles that are so close to my heart, especially given my MBE was partly for work in this area.

Hannah Hampton’s story isn’t just about football. It’s about representation. It’s about showing young people with visual impairments, with learning differences, with any kind of challenge, that they can achieve anything they set their minds to.

As someone who’s passionate about breaking down barriers and proving that being different doesn’t mean being less capable, I’m absolutely inspired by what Hannah and this entire team represent.

The Lesson for All of Us

Chloe Kelly stepped up to take that decisive penalty on Sunday night, knowing the weight of history on her shoulders, and I thought about all the moments in our lives when we must be brave. When we should back ourselves despite the doubts of others.

Hannah Hampton might not have taken the final penalty, but her saves throughout the tournament (including those crucial stops in the shootout) were just as vital to England’s success. She proved that you don’t always have to be the one scoring the goals to be the hero of your own story.

The message is clear: your dreams are valid, regardless of what challenges you might face.

A Personal Reflection

Writing this has made me think about my own journey. Like Hannah, I was told I couldn’t do certain things because of who I am. My autism diagnosis in 2018 explained so much about why I’d always felt different, and why I’d spent my life masking who I really was.

But look where being authentically myself has taken me: an MBE from King Charles III, recognition in the cyber security industry, and the opportunity to help make the digital world safer for everyone. None of that would have happened if I’d listened to the doubters or let my differences hold me back.

Hannah Hampton’s story, and the Lionesses’ incredible triumph, reminds us that when we embrace who we are (differences and all) and refuse to give up on our dreams, magical things can happen.

Champions On and Off the Pitch

So here’s to Hannah Hampton, the goalkeeper who shouldn’t exist but absolutely does. Here’s to Chloe Kelly and her ice-cool penalties. Here’s to Sarina Wiegman and her tactical brilliance. Here’s to every single member of this incredible squad who’ve shown us that defending a title is just as sweet as winning it for the first time.

But most of all, here’s to the lesson they’ve taught us: that no matter what obstacles life puts in your path, no matter what people tell you about what you can’t do, you have the power to prove them wrong.

As I always say, following the words of the great Maya Angelou: our mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.

These Lionesses have done exactly that, and they’ve inspired a nation in the process. They have done what the men’s football team have failed to do since 1966 – twice.

They are champions of Europe. Champions of resilience. Champions of proving that dreams really do have no limits.

Now, who fancies a glass of prosecco to celebrate? I promise I’ll try not to spill it! 😉