England goalkeeper Mary Earps is shining for the Lionesses at the Women’s World Cup Down Under.
The 30 year-old was dropped from the national team two years ago but a stunning upturn in form, in part down to the unwavering backing shown to her by England head coach Sarina Wiegman, has seen her become established as one of the finest keepers in the world.
Her individual trophy cabinet includes the Best Female Goalkeeper at the 2023 FIFA Awards and the Golden Glove Award from the Women’s Super League last season.
But it’s not just on the pitch where Earps is excelling, with the Manchester United star living her best life by jet-setting around the globe and spending time with her nearest and dearest.
When did Mary Earps start playing football?
Earps was promoted to Leicester’s first team squad when she was just 17 years-old to provide cover for first-choice keeper Leanne Hall in the 2009/10 season.
A move to Nottingham Forest, her hometown club, followed a year later before joining Doncaster Rovers Belles ahead of the inaugural WSL season in 2011.
Having gone on to play for Birmingham City, Bristol City and Reading, Earps joined Bundesliga champions Wolfsburg in 2018.
But Earps’ stay in Germany was short-lived, returning to England just one year later to sign for newly promoted Manchester United.
Her performances between the sticks for United saw her record a WSL-record 14 clean sheets last season, helping the club qualify for the Champions League for the very first time in their history.
Her football career was combined with her studies, graduating with a degree in Information Management and Business from Loughborough University in 2016.
When did she make her England debut?
Having represented England at U17, U19 and U23 level, Earps made her senior debut in a 4-0 friendly victory over Switzerland in 2017.
She was a member of the Lionesses squad for the 2019 World Cup in France, but following that tournament she would have to wait another two years to take to the pitch for England again.
Her return to the fold came in Wiegman’s first game in charge in September 2021, and since then she has cemented her position as England’s undisputed first choice.
Earps played every minute of England’s triumphant Euro 2022 campaign on home soil last year, keeping four clean sheets as she was named in the official Team of the Tournament.
Since the dizzying highs of that historic July evening 12 months ago, life hasn’t quite been the same for the England hero – not that she would have it any other way.
‘Women’s Super League attendance has skyrocketed, and the England team is selling out stadiums.
‘We buzz off of the electricity on the ground; it helps us get through tough moments and was probably a factor in us winning the tournament last July.
‘I hear stories about young girls falling in love with the game, and grown women saying they’ve found the courage to join a five-a-side team after sharing in our joy.’
Prior to the start of the 2023 World Cup, Earps criticised Nike over their controversial decision not to manufacture replicas of her shirt for fans to buy.
Family life
Earps is incredibly close to her family, with whom she credits for helping her fall in love with the beautiful game.
It was when she first kicked a ball around with her dad and brother in the garden, aged eight, that she realised she wanted to play football for a living, with her parents duly taking her along to her local football club.
Speaking with GQ, Earps explained: ‘I was playing a local Saturday match and saved a penalty.
‘Goalkeeping is a very individual position. I never wanted to do anything else.’
However, in an age where the majority of players – even the top ones – weren’t even professional, Earps had to make her way in the game against a backdrop of skepticism over female involvement in the sport.
‘Why are you letting her play football?’ Earps recalls the mother of a childhood friend asking her parents, ‘She’s never going to be anything. You’re setting her up for disappointment.’
And so when she was nominated for FIFA’s Best Award earlier this year, it was no surprise that her parents were the ones she shared the joyous news with first.
Earps told the BBC: ‘I texted my mum and dad straight away. They humbly replied with just ‘well done’. It was a standard Earps family reply, super chilled. It’s really nice and the real icing on the cake.’
Earning some well-earnt rest from goalkeeping duties, Earps has jetted off around the world on various holidays with friends and family.
Australia, Berlin, Dubai and Madrid have all been taken in by Earps and her loved ones in recent times.
And it seems Earps is no stranger to a bit of humour, accompanying an Instagram post with the caption, ‘I can finally say that I’ve been to Greece, better late than feta.’
She is also regarded as the England TikTok queen, keeping her 700,000 followers entertained with behind the scenes clips of her life in football.
Whilst she shares much of her life on social media, Earps elects to keep some things guarded behind closed doors – it is not currently known if she is in a relationship.
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