Honours Kelly and Hampton in line for MBEs at new year

Chloe Kelly and Hannah Hampton are expected to be awarded MBEs with England's Lionesses set to be lavished with nominations in the new year honours list following their historic European Championship victory.

- Matt Hughes

Sarina Wiegman's squad were widely honoured after winning the European title for the first time three years ago: the captain, Leah Williamson, was made an OBE and Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead and Ellen White received MBEs.

After England reached the World Cup final a year later, the stand-in captain, Millie Bright, was made an OBE while Mary Earps and Lauren Hemp got MBEs.

Kelly missed out in 2022 despite scoring England's match-winning goal in their extra-time win over Germany in the final and providing the tournament's iconic moment with her celebration, an oversight that is expected to be corrected by Downing Street in the next honours list.

The nomination process for honours is managed by the Cabinet Office, and Kelly and Hampton are regarded as shoo-ins for the way they have thrilled a nation who have been glued to the Euros for much of the summer, with tens of millions of people watching on BBC and ITV.

Kelly was even more pivotal to England's triumph in Switzerland.