Mary Earps announces Lionesses retirement ahead of European Championship defence
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Mary Earps made 53 senior appearances for the Lionesses. | Credit: Getty Images
Mary Earps has announced her shock retirement from international football.
The former Manchester United Women's goalkeeper has made the decision just weeks before England begin their European Championship defence in Switzerland this summer.
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Earps played a key role in the Lionesses' Euro 2022 success, but has since been replaced of late by Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.
Mary Earps announces shock retirement from international football, claiming it's time to let 'the younger generation an opportunity to thrive'
Mary Earps has been pivotal in the growth of the women's game | Credit: Getty Images
Having made 53 senior appearances over eight years for England, Earps' additional achievements include winning the 2023 Women's Finalissima before helping Sarina Wiegman's side reach the final of the 2023 Women's World Cup.
"I had hoped that Mary [Earps] would play an important role within the squad this summer, so of course I am disappointed," Wiegman said in reaction to the news, as relayed by BBC Sport.
Earps was instrumental during the Lionesses Euro 2022 success | Credit: 2022 The FA
"This is the right time for me to step aside and give the younger generation an opportunity to thrive," said Mary. "Winning the Euros in 2022 was the best day of my life, and I'm rooting for the girls to do it again this summer."
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She continued on social media, admitting it is time for the baton to be passed on as she looks forward. "It has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life, to wear this badge and represent my country. I wish I could do it forever, but sadly all good things must come to an end.
"My journey has never been the simplest, so in true Mary fashion, this isn't a simple goodbye - right before a major tournament. Nonetheless, I know this is the right decision. There are so many dimensions to this decision, the details of which aren't important right now.
"This is a new era and a new England team, and I'm looking forward to watching them this summer. I know that while this won't make sense to some who are reading this, you can trust that I would not be doing this unless I thought it was absolutely the right thing to do, as much as it hurts."
Mary Earps currently plays in France for PSG | Credit: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images
Having left Manchester United under some controversy back in 2024, the 32-year-old won BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2023, further adding to her glittering list of career achievements.
"I have given everything, my heart and soul," she concluded. "I left it all out there on the pitch and did my best to help systemic change of it. I have no regrets."
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In both the 1996 miniseries Dead Man's Walk and 2008 miniseries Comanche Moon, based on the Western novels by Larry McMurtry, Joss portrayed the character Kicking Wolf. Joss, who is of Apache and Comanche descent, said in 2008, 'I loved how Kicking Wolf wasn't your typical stoic Native American. He was allowed to smile and add some humor to the story.' Joss went on to play Ken Hotate, the comical and clever tribal leader of the fictional Wamapoke people, in five episodes of NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation between 2011 and 2015. 'He is so funny,' fellow show actor Aubrey Plaza told San Antonio local news in 2014. 'His relationship with Leslie Knope [Amy Poehler] is one of the funniest dynamics because of how weird their exchanges are. Jonathan is a really talented improviser. He's always making us crack up.' In a statement to People on Monday, Parks and Recreation co-star Nick Offerman said of Joss' death: 'The cast has been texting together about it all day and we're just heartbroken. 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