Aggie Beever-Jones delivered a stunning 33-minute hat-trick for England.

Following a turbulent week for the England squad, all eyes were on goalkeeper Hannah Hampton at Wembley. However, within half an hour, another player stole the spotlight.

Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones shone brightly, scoring her first England hat-trick in the 6-0 demolition of Portugal in the Women’s Nations League.

The 21-year-old achieved this remarkable feat in a mere 33 minutes.

Beever-Jones’s electrifying performance, along with the Lionesses’ overall display, bodes well for Euro 2025, where they aim to defend their European title, only five weeks away.

Pre-match speculation centered on goalkeeper Mary Earps’ surprising international retirement. Concerns arose about the team’s ability to cope without such a key figure. Could Chelsea’s Hampton handle the immense pressure?

The team clearly handled the situation masterfully, with the newly appointed number one, Hampton, barely needing to make a save.

“Are you not entertained?,” exclaimed former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I’m running out of rubber on my eraser because I keep having to change [goalscoring] tally marks.

“It’s been so enjoyable to watch, with such fluidity, and the sheer pleasure this England team displays.”

Ex-England defender Lindsay Johnson called it a “Friday night funfest,” and even manager Sarina Wiegman showed more animated celebrations than usual from the dugout.

Amidst the off-field distractions of the past week, this performance emphatically silenced the noise and significantly boosted team morale.

It was a decisive “back to business” approach, as Wiegman later stated.

England and Spain poised for a shootout – Nations League standings

Beever-Jones shines as England trounces Portugal in Nations League

Earps’ retirement – its implications for England?

Wiegman addressed questions regarding Earps’ retirement on Thursday, acknowledging a “difficult” start to the week.

Visibly emotional, Wiegman reflected on their shared successes, declining to elaborate on the frustration caused by the 32-year-old’s abrupt departure.

With Hampton having only 13 caps prior to the match, and the other two goalkeepers lacking international experience, concerns about their inexperience were raised.

However, the team’s outstanding performance minimized these concerns.

Hampton spent most of the second half as a spectator, watching her teammates attempt to add to their five first-half goals, with Chloe Kelly ultimately scoring the sixth.

Beever-Jones offered insight into Wiegman’s pre-match address: “She said before the game, ‘it’s a new kit, it’s a new England, we have a new squad’.”

However, Bardsley described it not as a “new” but a “vintage” England, especially considering the fifth goal arrived in the 33rd minute, completing Beever-Jones’s hat-trick.

Lucy Bronze scored England’s second goal with a header, Beth Mead also contributed, and substitute Kelly added the sixth in the 62nd minute.

“This reminds me of vintage England, taking me back to 2022,” said Bardsley, an 81-cap Lioness veteran. “Portugal played poorly, but amidst the noise, it’s wonderful to see the girls smiling.”

The joyous smiles weren’t limited to the players; fans also danced and celebrated at full-time, clearly thrilled by the display.

England’s form has fluctuated over the past 18 months. Just seven weeks ago they lost to Belgium in Leuven – the bottom team in their Women’s Nations League group – two months after defeating world champions Spain at Wembley.

However, the Lionesses rose to the occasion under pressure, boosted by the return of key players Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, and Alex Greenwood from injury.

“There’s been a lot of noise [this week], and the players wanted to put that to rest,” Johnson added.

“Press conference questions were relentless, and they will continue to be. They simply wanted to talk about football, and they made it all about the football.

“Mary [Earps] will be missed, but when you score six goals in such a manner, the conversation naturally shifts to the football and how outstanding England played.”

Aggie Beever-Jones is only the second female footballer to score an international hat-trick for England at Wembley, following Beth Mead.

“Aggie Beever-Jones is a baller,” Bardsley declared at full-time, praising the match-winner.

The Chelsea forward significantly improved her chances of Euro 2025 selection, prompting laughter from Wiegman when questioned.

“I think she played really well…” the Dutchwoman remarked with a smile.

“She’s a natural goalscorer. She scores goals effortlessly and expertly. She has such quick feet. She’s also incredibly composed on the ball, and she played with great relaxation.”

Teammate Kelly praised Beever-Jones’s impressive performance in an England shirt, while Bardsley described her as a “tricky” opponent.

Competition for a starting spot remains fierce, however.

Arsenal’s Alessia Russo watched from the bench, rested due to a minor calf injury, while Chelsea’s Lauren James is still recovering from injury.

Hemp impressed in her first England game since November’s knee surgery, Mead scored, and Kelly proved her value as a substitute.

“She really made a statement and staked her claim to Sarina Wiegman, demonstrating her starting potential at the Euros this summer,” Bardsley added about Beever-Jones.

“Knowing we have that weapon, whether she starts or comes off the bench, it’s reassuring to know she’s in Sarina Wiegman’s arsenal.”

Beever-Jones celebrated with her family and revealed the team signed the match ball as a memento.

Regardless of her role at the Euros, she’s prepared to make an impact.

“In football, it’s never a straight path. I’ve had to be patient within this setup, highlighting the team’s quality,” Beever-Jones told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“I seized the opportunity, and I’m grateful to everyone who helped me reach this point. I couldn’t have asked for a better day.

“I wouldn’t trade the competition. Alessia [Russo] is an exceptional player; I learn so much from her and the entire forward line. Hopefully, I can contribute where needed.

“Whenever I play for England, I aim to give the right people the right selection dilemmas.”

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Aggie Beever-Jones delivered a stunning 33-minute hat-trick for England.

Following a turbulent week for the England squad, attention initially focused on goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. However, within half an hour at Wembley, the spotlight shifted dramatically.

Chelsea forward Aggie Beever-Jones stole the show, achieving her first England hat-trick in the resounding 6-0 victory over Portugal in the Women’s Nations League.

The 21-year-old’s remarkable feat unfolded within a mere 33 minutes.

Beever-Jones’ electrifying performance, along with the Lionesses’ overall display, served as a powerful statement just five weeks before Euro 2025, where they aim to defend their European title.

Pre-match speculation centered on the impact of goalkeeper Mary Earps’ surprising international retirement. Concerns arose about the team’s ability to cope without such a pivotal figure. Could Chelsea’s Hampton effectively manage the pressure?

The Lionesses emphatically answered these concerns. Hampton, the newly confirmed number one, had a remarkably quiet match.

Former England goalkeeper Karen Bardsley, commenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, exclaimed, “Are you not entertained?” adding, “I’m running out of rubber on my eraser because I keep having to change [goalscoring] tally marks. It’s been so fun to watch, with so much fluidity, and the enjoyment this England team has been playing with.”

Ex-England defender Lindsay Johnson described the match as a “Friday night funfest,” and even manager Sarina Wiegman exhibited more visible excitement than usual from the dugout.

Amidst the off-field distractions of the past week, this commanding performance effectively silenced the noise and significantly boosted team morale. Wiegman described it as a return to “business as usual.”

England and Spain poised for a dramatic showdown – Nations League update

Beever-Jones shines as England dominates Portugal in Nations League

Earps’ retirement – what’s next for England?

Wiegman addressed questions regarding Earps’ retirement on Thursday, acknowledging a “difficult” start to the week.

Visibly emotional, Wiegman reflected on their positive shared experiences, declining to discuss the frustrations surrounding the 32-year-old’s abrupt departure.

With Hampton possessing only 13 caps before the match, and the other two goalkeepers lacking international experience, concerns regarding their inexperience were raised.

However, the team’s exceptional offensive performance quickly minimized these concerns.

Hampton spent much of the second half as a spectator, watching her teammates attempt to extend their five-goal first-half lead, culminating in Chloe Kelly’s sixth goal.

Beever-Jones shared Wiegman’s pre-match message: “She said before the game, ‘it’s a new kit, it’s a new England, we have a new squad’.”

Bardsley described it not as a new England, but a “vintage” one, particularly impressed by the fifth goal scored in the 33rd minute, completing Beever-Jones’ hat-trick.

Lucy Bronze scored England’s second goal, Beth Mead contributed another, and substitute Kelly added the final goal in the 62nd minute.

“This is reminding me of vintage England, casting myself back to 2022,” said Bardsley, an 81-cap Lioness veteran. “Portugal have been poor, but among the noise, it is so wonderful to see the girls with smiles on their faces.”

The jubilant atmosphere extended to the fans, who celebrated enthusiastically at full-time.

England’s form had faltered over the past 18 months, including a recent loss to Belgium. However, this match demonstrated the Lionesses’ resilience under pressure, boosted by the return of key players Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, and Alex Greenwood from injury.

“There has been a lot of noise [this week] and players wanted to put that to bed,” added Johnson. “Questions in the press conference were relentless and they are going to be. They just want to talk about football and they made it all about the football. Mary [Earps] will be missed, but when you score six goals in the fashion they did, we are just talking about the football and how good England were.”

Beever-Jones’ achievement marks only the second instance of a female footballer scoring an international hat-trick at Wembley for England, following Beth Mead.

“Aggie Beever-Jones is a baller,” Bardsley declared, praising the match-winner.

The Chelsea forward significantly enhanced her chances of Euro 2025 selection, prompting a chuckle from Wiegman.

“I think she did really well…” Wiegman commented with a smile. “She is a goalscorer. She scores goals very easily and very well. She has such quick feet. She is also really tight on the ball, she played really relaxed.”

Teammate Kelly praised Beever-Jones’ impressive performance, while Bardsley described her as a challenging opponent.

Competition for starting roles remains fierce. Arsenal’s Alessia Russo was rested due to a minor injury, and Chelsea’s Lauren James is still recovering from injury.

Hemp impressed in her return from injury, Mead scored, and Kelly proved her value as a substitute.

“She really announced herself and put her case forward to Sarina Wiegman so she knows she is capable of starting at the Euros this summer,” Bardsley observed about Beever-Jones. “Knowing there’s that weapon, whether it’s on the bench or from the start, is so lovely to know that she’s in Sarina Wiegman’s tool kit.”

Beever-Jones celebrated with her family and revealed the team had signed the match ball as a memento.

Regardless of her role at the Euros, she is determined to make an impact.

“In football it’s never just a straight line. I’ve had to be patient in this set-up and that just shows the quality the team has,” Beever-Jones told BBC Radio 5 Live. “I got the opportunity and I am grateful to everyone who helped me get into this place. I couldn’t have hoped for a better day. I wouldn’t want anyone else for competition. Alessia [Russo] is an incredible player, I learn so much off her and the whole frontline. Hopefully I can contribute where I can. Whenever I’m playing for England I just hope I’m giving the right people the right headaches.”

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