Mary Earps

Mary Alexandra Earps (born 7 March 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Première Ligue club Paris Saint-Germain and the England national team. At the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, she served as the vice captain for England, and received the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper of the tournament. Earps was announced the winner of 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

She previously played for WSL clubs Manchester United, Bristol Academy, Birmingham City, Doncaster Belles, and Reading, and in the Bundesliga with VfL Wolfsburg. Earps has represented England at under-17, under-19, and under-23 levels,  and won her first senior cap in 2017.

Club career
In 2009–10 Earps was promoted to Leicester City's first team squad from the centre of excellence, to provide competition for regular goalkeeper Leanne Hall. The following season Earps signed for Nottingham Forest. She was an unused substitute in Forest's penalty shootout defeat by Barnet in the FA Women's Premier League Cup final.

Doncaster Rovers Belles signed 18-year-old Earps immediately before the start of the inaugural 2011 season of the FA WSL. Belles manager John Buckley was pleased to secure her services: "She has outstanding potential and a very bright future ahead of her." Earps began to play regularly in the second part of the 2011 season, then joined Coventry City on loan during the off-season.

After spending the 2012 season with Doncaster, Earps joined Birmingham City ahead of 2013. In November 2013 she made her UEFA Women's Champions League debut in a 5–2 win over FC Zorky, staged at St Andrew's. The presence of Rebecca Spencer limited Earps's playing time at Birmingham, so she joined Bristol Academy for 2014.

At Bristol Earps played in all but one of the team's matches through the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

When Bristol were relegated at the end of her second season, Earps left to join Reading. In her first season with Reading, Earps won PFA Team of the Year honours.

In June 2018, Earps joined defending Bundesliga champions VfL Wolfsburg. She made her debut on 8 September 2018 in a 11–0 win over Hannover 96 in the DFB-Pokal second round. The team won their third consecutive domestic double during the 2018–19 season.

Manchester United
On 12 July 2019, after one season in Germany, Earps returned to England to sign for newly promoted Manchester United ahead of the 2019–20 season. Earps made her debut for Manchester United against Manchester City in the FA WSL on 7 September 2019, a 1–0 loss in the inaugural Manchester derby. She kept her first clean sheet for the club on 28 September 2019 in a 2–0 win over Liverpool, the club's first FA WSL victory. On 26 February 2021, Earps signed a new deal with Manchester United until 2023 with the option of a further year. Earps kept 14 league clean sheets, a new WSL record, during the 2022–23 Women's Super League season as she won the golden glove and Manchester United finished a club-record best 2nd-place, qualifying for the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time as a result. She also helped the club to reached a major cup final for the first time, losing 1–0 to Chelsea in the final at Wembley Stadium.

In October 2023, Earps came fifth in Ballon d'Or voting. It was the highest a goalkeeper had placed since the female award was introduced in 2018. The previous best was 12th achieved by both Christiane Endler and Sari van Veenendaal. On 7 November 2023, she was awarded the Billy Seymour Impact Award at the 2023 Northwest Football Awards a recognition for her significant positive effect on football in the region. In November 2023, she was named both the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year and BBC Women's Footballer of the Year.

On 29 June 2024, Manchester United confirmed Earps had left the club upon the expiry of her contract.

Paris Saint-Germain
On 1 July 2024, Earps joined Première Ligue club Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year contract until June 2026.

International career


Earps played for England under-19 at the 2012 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in Antalya, Turkey. She won praise for her performances despite England's group stage exit. In July 2013, Loughborough University student Earps helped Great Britain to a gold medal in the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia. Following injuries to Karen Bardsley and Rachel Brown-Finnis, England's senior national team gave Earps her first call up for an April 2014 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification match against Montenegro at the Falmer Stadium, Brighton and Hove. She returned to the senior squad in September 2015 for England's 8–0 UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying win in Estonia.

In June 2017, Earps was called up to England's training camp for UEFA Women's Euro 2017 as a fourth-choice goalkeeper. On 11 June 2017 she won her first senior cap in a 4–0 friendly win over Switzerland in Biel. She had her first senior start in September 2018, in a 6–0 victory over Kazakhstan.

On 8 May 2019 she was named in the squad for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.

On 17 September 2021, Earps was named as the starting goalkeeper in Sarina Wiegman's first game as England manager, her first Lionesses appearance since November 2019. England beat North Macedonia 8–0 as part of 2023 World Cup qualifying. Having remained as Wiegman's first choice goalkeeper starting in eight of her first 11 matches, Earps was included in the England squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2022 in June 2022. She played every minute of all six games during the campaign as England won the Euros for the first time. Earps conceded twice, keeping four clean sheets, the joint most tied with fellow finalist Merle Frohms of Germany, and was named to the Team of the Tournament.

Earps was allotted 198 when the FA announced their legacy numbers scheme to honour the 50th anniversary of England's inaugural international.

On 6 April 2023, Earps saved a penalty in a penalty shootout against Brazil to help win England the inaugural Women's Finalissima.

On 31 May 2023, Earps was named in the squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup in July 2023. On 21 July 2023, Earps complained that fans at the World Cup could not buy a replica shirt with her name on it because supplier Nike had decided not to manufacture one. During the World Cup, she played every minute of all seven matches, conceding four goals, three from open play, and keeping three clean sheets. During England's 1–0 defeat to Spain in the final on 20 August, Earps saved a penalty from Jennifer Hermoso in the 68th minute. She was awarded the Golden Glove for the tournament. On 19 September 2023, Earps was named England Women's Player of the Year for the 2022–23 season.

Earps was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to association football.

Business ventures
In June 2023, Earps launched her own clothing and apparel business called MAE27.

Personal life
Earps grew up in West Bridgford, Nottingham and attended The Becket School. Her footballing journey started when she was aged 10 at West Bridgford Colts, where she realised she had a particular knack for goalkeeping. As part of the "Where Greatness Is Made" campaign, a plaque honouring Earps was installed at West Bridgford F.C. in Nottingham.

Between 2012 and 2016, Earps earned a degree in Information Management and Business Studies from Loughborough University. In December 2023, she received an honorary doctorate from Loughborough – "Doctor of the University" – for services to sport.

In December 2023, Nottingham Express Transit (NET) named tram number 222 after her, following others with Nottingham connections, including Vicky McClure, Stuart Broad, and Brian Clough. Earps also won the 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in the same month.

International

 * Statistics accurate as of match played 31 May 2024.

Honours
VfL Wolfsburg
 * Frauen-Bundesliga: 2018–19
 * DFB-Pokal: 2018–19

Manchester United
 * Women's FA Cup: 2023–24; runner-up: 2022–23

England


 * FIFA Women's World Cup runner-up: 2023
 * UEFA Women's Championship: 2022
 * Women's Finalissima: 2023
 * SheBelieves Cup: 2019
 * Arnold Clark Cup: 2022, 2023

Individual
 * The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper: 2022 2023
 * Women's Super League Golden Glove: 2022–23
 * FIFA Women's World Cup Golden Glove: 2023
 * PFA WSL Team of the Year: 2016–17 FA WSL, 2022–23 FA WSL
 * UEFA Women's Championship Team of the Tournament: 2022
 * England Women's Player of the Year: 2022–23
 * Freedom of the City of London (announced 1 August 2022)
 * BBC Sports Personality of the Year: 2023
 * BBC Women's Footballer of the Year: 2023
 * Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year: 2023
 * Northwest Football Awards Billy Seymour Impact Award: 2023
 * IFFHS Women's World's Best Goalkeeper: 2023
 * IFFHS Women's World Team of the Year: 2023
 * FIFA FIFPRO Women's World 11: 2023
 * Women's Football Awards: 2023 World Cup Hero