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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mary Earps divides opinion like no other women's footballer
Mary Queen of Stops or Mary Queen of Strops? That was the debate raging in the aftermath of Mary Earps' decision to retire from the Lionesses. The goalkeeper, who won 53 caps during eight years, chose to end her international career just five weeks before England launch the defence of their European Championship title. It comes after Earps was told by manager Sarina Wiegman that she would not be the No 1 goalkeeper at the tournament and that she would be deputy to Hannah Hampton. Earps's decision has divided opinion. There are some who believe, after everything she has achieved with the national team, that she has every right to bow out when she likes and on her own terms. There are others who view her actions as poorly timed and selfish. There are also people who sit somewhere in the middle. The vast majority will acknowledge that this is a sad way for a European champion, two-time Fifa Best winner and, in many ways, cult hero to finish her international career. Had she waited until after the Euros to retire, she would undoubtedly have been given a huge send-off. Wiegman seemed to indicate that could still happen after the tournament, but any farewell will now feel slightly tainted. Perhaps Earps was not bothered about getting a goodbye, but many fans would have appreciated the opportunity to see her in an England shirt one last time. Not every player can have a fairy-tale exit like Jill Scott and Ellen White, you only have to ask Steph Houghton, who had the decision taken out of her hands by Wiegman omitting her from both the Euro 2022 and 2023 World Cup squads. Earps undoubtedly changed the perception of female goalkeepers and broke ground with her campaign to force Nike to sell her shirt after the 2023 World Cup. That is what truly kick-started a rise which culminated in her being crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year. There were some who believed that, because the Lionesses did not win the World Cup, Earps was not worthy of the award, but many people backed and stood up for her. As well as her off-the-pitch actions, Earps also won popularity for her no-nonsense approach to goalkeeping. When Earps saved a penalty in the World Cup final, she screamed 'F------ yes, f--- off!' T-shirts with Earps holding the ball and that caption alongside her were printed and sold out after the tournament. But not everybody appreciated her on-pitch exuberance. It was sometimes perceived as arrogance. As one person told Telegraph Sport, Earps is the only goalkeeper they have ever seen make a save and then turn around to the TV camera and shout 'what a save!' Bellingham got the vibe from the great Mary Earps 🏴 "what a save!" 😂😂 — Jacqui Oatley (@JacquiOatley) June 30, 2024 This is not the first time Earps has divided opinion in a football sense. When she returned from the World Cup she was heavily linked with a move from Manchester United to Arsenal. It is understood Earps wanted the transfer, but that United and Arsenal could not come to an agreement over a fee. There were reports that Earps had cut an 'isolated' figure in training and looked as if she did not want to be there, which provoked the ire of United fans. Earps later hit out in an interview with ITV, saying: 'It's been hard to see how I've been portrayed at times. Having your body language and your facial expressions heavily scrutinised. I care deeply about Manchester United as a club and all I have ever tried to do is give my absolute best.' There were some fans who sided with her while others felt she was being disingenuous. The public is split on Earps and it is understood so is the England dressing room. Several players posted glowing messages for Earps on their Instagram accounts, with the goalkeeper sharing each one on her own story. After the awkward meeting in which Earps informed her team-mates of her decision to retire, many wanted Wiegman to speak up and say something nice about her career. Instead, Wiegman is understood to have expressed her anger and frustration in front of the room. While some players were unhappy with how the meeting played out and felt Earps deserved better treatment, privately many viewed her decision to retire now as selfish and were disappointed by her actions. The 32-year-old said it was the right time to 'step aside and give the younger generation an opportunity to thrive'. But the two goalkeepers behind Hampton, Anna Moorhouse and Khiara Keating, are uncapped and inexperienced at international level. Some feel she has left England in the lurch when they needed her, while others believe it is completely fair that she does not want to go to a tournament and sit on the bench. Earps will likely give a full account of her story in time and we will hear what Wiegman has to say at her pre-match press conference on Thursday. It may unfold into a PR battle between the two. Who was in the right? Who was in the wrong? Who will people believe? Opinion will no doubt remain divided. Earps will always be one of England's greatest goalkeepers and somebody who fought for and achieved change off the pitch. But some will not view her international career through the same glittering lens they would have had she retired in better circumstances.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tackling a sportswear giant & making goalkeeping cool - Earps' legacy
Few international retirements have shocked women's football in the way Mary Earps' decision did. Two years after winning back-to-back Fifa Best goalkeeper awards, and nine months on from a high-profile move to Paris St-Germain, nobody predicted that Earps would withdraw from duty five weeks before Euro 2025. England manager Sarina Wiegman admitted she was "disappointed", and had hoped Earps would play an "important role" this summer. So why has one of England's most loved footballers decided to retire now? What legacy will she leave? And what does the future look like without her? Earps announces shock England retirement after losing place Earps' position at the top of the goalkeeping pecking order came under threat last year with the emergence of Chelsea's Hannah Hampton. Wiegman said in April that Hampton was "a bit ahead of Earps" after she had started her third match in a row, including a crucial 1-0 win over world champions Spain at Wembley in the Women's Nations League. The England manager had previously been reluctant to comment on the goalkeeping battle but that statement was a strong nod towards the summer. It's understood that Earps held discussions with Wiegman before she was scheduled to join the squad at St George's Park this week about her position for the Euros. She later told her team-mates her decision on Monday and did not train, before returning home and withdrawing from upcoming matches against Portugal and Spain. Earps will have known her chances of regaining the number one spot were slimming and she admitted in her statement that it was a "new era for England". Having experienced setbacks with England before - most notably when she was dropped by Phil Neville following a 2-1 defeat by Germany at Wembley in 2019, not returning to the international stage for two years - she will not have been keen to experience it again. Wiegman's shock and disappointment was clear. Earps has been a vital member of England's major tournament successes, acting as a leader. Her decision to step down five weeks before Euro 2025 has rocked the squad. Earps' impact on the growth of women's football and England's success has been enormous. As well as playing a key role in England's Euro 2022 victory, she was vice-captain as they reached the 2023 World Cup final, saving a penalty in their defeat by Spain. More standout moments in the inaugural Women's Finalissima followed and she earned a high-profile move from Manchester United to Paris St-Germain last summer. She has also been showered with individual accolades, winning the Fifa Best goalkeeper award twice, as well as the Golden Glove for the best keeper at the 2023 World Cup. Her impact off the pitch has been as significant. She used her platform to speak out, discussing her personal mental health struggles while collecting her award at the Fifa Best event in 2023. But perhaps her most notable intervention came when she called out Nike for failing to sell England women's goalkeeper shirts before the World Cup, which led to a petition gathering more than 150,000 signatures and the sportswear giant making a U-turn. At England games, fans would scream her name to sign autographs and take photos, while a mural outside Old Trafford was painted following Euro 2022. A plaque honouring Earps was installed in her home city, Nottingham, where she also has a tram named after her. She was also the first female footballer to have a waxwork figure made at Madame Tussauds, winning a public vote. Her status as a firm fan favourite was cemented when she won BBC's Sports Personality of the Year in 2023, showing her profile had transcended football. Earps herself said in February 2023 she wanted to make goalkeeping "cool" and there can be no dispute that she has done that. She went from being cast aside by Neville in 2019, to dancing on the press conference table with a Euro 2022 winners' medal around her neck and roaring in celebration as she made crucial penalty saves in 2023. Wiegman's disappointment at Earps' decision to pull out of Euro 2025 is understandable given there is little experience in the goalkeeping department. Hampton is a strong number one and has progressed this season, taking on the baton of Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper and playing in a Women's Champions League semi-final. Six of Hampton's 13 England appearances have come in the past 15 months. There are no doubts the 24-year-old is ready. However, neither of the other two goalkeepers in England's current squad - Khiara Keating, 20, and Anna Moorhouse, 30 - have won a senior cap. Keating is still competing for Manchester City's number one spot, while Moorhouse has enjoyed success in the United States with Orlando Pride but is very much an unknown given her first England squad call-up came in July 2024. Barcelona's Ellie Roebuck, 25, is a previous England number one and started all four games for Team GB at the delayed Olympic Games in 2021. But she has found herself on the periphery under Wiegman and has not been in the squad after recovering from a stroke last year. Earps' international retirement leaves a significant gap in England's Euros squad. Finding someone to take that place will not be easy. Head here to get involved
The Independent
27-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Mary Earps' shock retirement is the start of a much-needed new era for the Lionesses
'A new era and a new England team,' wrote Mary Earps. That phrase, perhaps as well as anything else, sums up her retirement from international football. The new era begins later this week when England embark on their latest round of Nations League fixtures, but what matters is the European Championships – and Earps won't be there. Hannah Hampton, instead, is now England's number one. Not one of the stars of England's triumph just three years ago, but Sarina Wiegman 's new favourite. Earps fell out of favour and now she's forever out of the frame. The 32-year-old was an inspirational trailblazer, but her time is up. She was more than just a goalkeeper for the Lionesses, she was a star who was emblematic of everything the team embodied. When Nike decided not to sell her shirt during the 2023 World Cup, Earps pushed for change and the manufacturer listened. When eventually released, they sold out within minutes. That was unsurprising for an England number one who was viewed as a national hero and a centrepiece of a side who brought about a special sense of support. Her footballing prowess helped too – Earps was named the Fifa Best Women's goalkeeper in 2022 and 2023. Her stardom truly began at Euro 2022 as England reached newfound heights and Earps stood on top of the table in the jubilant post-match celebrations. It was a symbol of the triumph, the unbridled joy of England finally winning a major trophy. It then compounded at the following summer's World Cup, with Earps saving a penalty as they were defeated by Spain in the final – and issuing a now-iconic rallying cry of 'F*** OFF' as she made a save and England pushed for an equaliser. But, it came to transpire, that was the peak. England, perhaps surprisingly, began to tail off. The Lionesses just weren't the same anymore; Team GB did not qualify for the Olympics, England did not record the same rampant results as they competed in Nations League fixtures which were far trickier than previous friendlies. Change was also afoot on the club front for Earps. She won the FA Cup with Manchester United before moving to Paris St-Germain. But a move to one of Europe's heavyweights did not follow the script: PSG failed to make it out of Champions League qualifying. Earps exited Manchester United on a high but the Reds' failure to qualify for European football likely influenced her decision to move. Things proved no better in Paris. At the same time, Hampton was impressing with Chelsea and caught the eye of England boss Wiegman. As the Dutchwoman started to finally entertain the idea of changing her established line-up, Hampton began to be given chances; she excelled. The two would rotate, but it was the Chelsea player who was often given the nod for the biggest occasions. Earps found herself out of the side and the decision was largely based on merit. That was how we got to the point where it looked as if Earps would have to be England's number two in Switzerland this summer. But then came Tuesday's shock news: Earps has decided to retire from international football, she won't be a part of the Lionesses in any capacity. While it makes goalkeeper choices easier for Wiegman, it presents a significant challenge. Should Hampton become injured, it would fall to either Khiara Keating or Anna Moorhouse to step up to the task. Neither are tried-and-tested for the Lionesses, both would be a bit of a gamble. With an incredibly difficult group and an underwhelming recent record, England could do without any more headaches. Announcing her retirement, Earps wrote on Instagram: 'I know this is the right decision. There are so many dimensions to this decision, the details of which aren't important right now, but what it boils down to is: it's now the right moment for me to step aside.' In losing Earps, England not only find themselves lacking depth in a crucial position but also lacking experience. Nobody could deny that Earps was a crucial member of this squad, particularly off the pitch. Shaking up the well-established dynamics inside the camp may prove difficult. During big moments, it falls to the likes of Earps to lead – but there is now one less player to do such a role. England enter the Euros with more questions than answers. For many, it's hard to see them defending their crown. When form has markedly tailed off and the draw has not given them any assistance, the rampant Lionesses of 2022 seem a very long way off indeed. What next, then? First, a blow for fans. Shock was the overwhelming sentiment in response to Earps' retirement; to many, they will be losing one of their favourites. Next, there's a need for the team to recover; they've got to be able to deal with life after Earps and find a way to adapt to the changes. After that, England need to prove they can do it without her: Hampton needs to step up, the Lionesses need to find the results. It definitely won't be easy. It's definitely a change. There's nothing England can do about it. Earps, who came from nothing to rise to the highest of heights after the arrival of Wiegman, is no longer a part of the Lionesses. A 'new era' is how Earps described what's coming, a new era is undoubtedly on the way. A hope, at least, is that this new-style Lionesses side is already partially here. Wiegman has given chances to players who were nowhere near the starting line-up in previous tournaments and the squad is looking markedly different. To build for the future, there has got to be the ability to change. The 24-year-old Hampton, if her form continues, could be England's number one for the long term, while 20-year-old Keating has also pushed for a starting role. In other areas of the pitch, change has already happened. Look no further than the prominence of Jess Park and Grace Clinton in Lionesses sides now. The new era is already here; Earps' retirement is further confirmation that one was always going to be necessary.
The Guardian
29-01-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Savinho's chest of the century shows Manchester City's abiding excellence
The best moment of this game came 13 minutes from time, and will almost certainly be forgotten to history. Savinho brings down John Stones's long ball with his chest and lashes the ball home, and of course this is the part that matters: Manchester City 3-1 up and safe at last. There is no Fifa Best award for 'Greatest Chest Control of the Year'. But there should be. It was, quite simply, one of the great chest touches. The perfect spot on the breastbone: not too much rib, not too much nipple. Just the right amount of give in the torso to send it forwards, not up or down: the ball not so much cushioned as sprung. Because now the ball is sitting up beautifully, and Simon Mignolet can probably do better at his near post but that's hardly the first time we've said that. And so City qualify for the next stage of the Champions League. Hold the presses. Could have predicted that five months ago, Nostradamus. But of course the 'what' is much less interesting than the 'how' and, on an unbearably taut night at the Etihad Stadium, City ended their group stage largely as they lived it: in a blur of half-sensations, a night of wild mood swings and inexplicable random fire. Not until Savinho's goal, 707 minutes into their Champions League campaign, could City truly relax. Was there really not an easier way of doing this? Perhaps, but then you would also struggle to match the thrill and the catharsis of the moment itself: a goal of pure haptics, a goal that felt fresh and interesting, a new way of getting to a familiar place. And perhaps this has been true of City themselves over recent weeks, a club working through some strange feelings: jaded and defiant all at once, utterly fixed on their target and yet staggering towards it, lapsing in and out of focus like a camera on the blink. A few months ago City were losing convincingly. Now they're winning unconvincingly, which is obviously preferable but still raises a few questions. Above all there is a kind of madness behind the eyes here, most evident when the camera pans to Pep Guardiola and the Catalan is invariably doing something entirely devoid of context: pressing his fingers into his eyeballs, making forked lizard tongues at the fourth official, kicking a drinks crate to destruction, laughing uncontrollably at a joke only he really appears to understand. And yet, if it's often hard to work out what City are trying to do these days, their opponents came with a plan of perfect clarity. Brugge are through on merit, totally resolute off the ball, totally committed on it. Nicky Hayen's side were determined to pass their way out of any trouble, actively tried to bait the City press, drawing them in before slicing the ball in behind. After a bright start, the game settled into a familiar pattern: lots of sterile City passing and quarter‑chances around the edges of two solid Brugge banks of five. The Etihad Stadium was eerily quiet: less do-or-die Champions League showdown and more one of those Victorian science lectures when huge crowds would gather in respectful silence to watch a man in a tailcoat very slowly examining fossils. The first shot on target went to Brugge, and so did the opening goal. Matheus Nunes has been shoehorned into right-back in recent weeks and plays like a man with distinctly mixed feelings about this turn of events. Here he lunged at Ferran Jutgla and took only thin air, allowing Jutgla to cross for Raphael Onyedika to score. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion So. Which of your champion players steps forward in this moment of crisis? Not Ilkay Gündogan, who went off at half-time. And not Kevin De Bruyne, who still looks a little short of zip. Not really Erling Haaland, who was tidy without ever really threatening. Instead it was Savinho, City's youngest player on the pitch, who came on at the break and offered the clean straight lines that they were craving. With Savinho hugging the left touchline and drawing defenders with him, spaces began to open in the centre. Eight minutes into the second half Mateo Kovacic, who had been gradually nudging his way into the game, took the ball out of the centre circle and simply ran straight for goal. Then a neat Savinho pass to Josko Gvardiol produced an own goal. And finally the flourish: the chest of the century, the chest heard around the world. Weird campaign, really. City scored more goals than table‑toppers Liverpool while finishing 21 places below them. Led in six of their eight games but somehow managed to win only three of them. And yet they're still here, still hungry, still a little mad behind the eyes, but still possessed by enough crazy genius to get them through the tough moments. This season has been a wacky adventure. But it may just end up in a familiar place.
