England Women goalkeeper Mary Earps has announced her shock retirement from international football five weeks ahead of the Euros.
The 2022 Women’s Euros winner has decided to walk away from her England career after losing her place as first-choice goalkeeper to Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton.
The decision has come as a surprise this close to a major tournament, with head coach Sarina Wiegman admitting she “had hoped Mary would play an important role” as England defend their title this summer.
Earps was a big part of the team that won Euro 2022, starting in every game, as well as at the 2023 World Cup, when England finished as runners-up to Spain.
In total, Earps earned 53 caps for her country over eight years, alongside a number of individual accolades, including two FIFA Best Awards and a World Cup Golden Glove.
In a statement, Earps said: “I have taken the difficult decision to retire internationally. It has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life, to wear this badge, represent my country and play alongside such an incredible group of players.
“I’ve spent a long time making this decision and it’s not one I’ve made lightly. For me, ultimately this is the right time for me to step aside and give the younger generation an opportunity to thrive.
“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.”
Lionesses head coach Sarina Wiegman added: “I had hoped that Mary would play an important role within the squad this summer so of course I am disappointed. Mary has been clear on her reasons why she has made the decision and it is something we need to accept.
“Mary has made a huge contribution to not only the team but the whole of English football. We will cherish those memories and of course give Mary the tributes she deserves after the summer, but for now the focus needs to be on the upcoming UEFA Women’s Nations League fixtures and the Euros.”
The announcement from the Paris Saint-Germain stopper comes ahead of two final Nations League fixtures against Portugal and Spain and Euro 2025 in Switzerland this summer, where the Lionesses will defend their title.
Analysis: Earps retirement a ‘shock’
Mary Earps earned 53 caps for England
Sky Sports News reporter Anton Toloui at St George’s Park:
“Not many people saw this move coming. Earps has basically gone from undisputed No 1 to the deputy to Hannah Hampton.
“I understand that talks have taken place between Earps and Wiegman about her place in the squad going forward into the Euros and Earps has made the difficult decision to step away from international duty.
“That was definitely a surprise. The players were told last night after their training session here at St George’s Park. It is definitely a move that has come out of the blue.
“There are two schools of thought on why Earps has decided to leave, and whether it’s a good decision or not.
Mary Earps played in every game as England won Euro 2022
There’s one theory that, when your country calls, you step up and England’s goalkeeping group would be better with Earps in it – iron sharpens iron. Plus, if anything happened to England’s new No1, Earps would be a fantastic career.
“But Earps’ England career has been long and complicated… she’s at the point in her career where she’s had the difficult conversation with Wiegman.
“Wiegman said ‘we’re going to go with Hampton now, you’ll be the back-up’ and Earps has said ‘I want to focus on other things’, which is understandable.
“Earps has done a lot for England. We all remember her being the goalkeeper during the Euros, goalkeeper during the World Cup. She saved a penalty in the World Cup final. She has been part of the England set-up for a long time.
“She has earned 53 caps in 11 years since her first call-up. You can understand her decision to throw it back to the younger generation. That is what she said in her statement.
“Crucially in the statement put out by the FA, Wiegman admits that she is disappointed that Earps will not be part of the squad, not just at the Euros but going forward.”
Earps’ unconventional route to England’s No 1 spot
Speaking on Pitch to Pod, Mary Earps discussed her breakthrough into the Lionesses squad and how she almost gave up on her career
The former Manchester United goalkeeper has not had the easiest journey in a Lionesses shirt.
After injuries in the England squad, Earps earned her first call-up in April 2014 but did not play her first game until June 2017 in a friendly against Switzerland. She made intermittent appearances in training camps across that three-year period.
She was included in the squads for Euro 2017 and the 2019 World Cup, although did not appear in either as the third-choice goalkeeper in the squad, making sporadic appearances in the interim.
Her first start came in between the two tournaments, coming in September 2018 against Kazakhstan.
Earps was then handed the No 1 shirt by Wiegman in her first England game in September 2021, marking her first cap in almost two years.
Speaking on Pitch to Pod, Mary Earps revealed why she moved to Paris Saint-Germain last summer and discusses how much she is enjoying life in France
She discussed her unconventional England career with Sky Sports’ Pitch to Pod podcast with Nikita Parris and Jordan Nobbs earlier this year.
“When I got brought back in by Sarina, I’d been out for such a long time and I remember thinking, ‘What if I don’t have it?’ I was out for what felt like an eternity, I could barely remember what an England camp felt like. I honestly went in thinking, ‘I hope I don’t embarrass myself’.
“I got brought into some training camps with Team GB around that time and it probably took me a few camps [to settle back in]. I think conversations and games helped that, but I never felt like, ‘Oh, this is mine [the No 1 spot]’.
“I’m not that type of person where I’m entitled like that. Anything can change at any time. I just wanted to play as many games and help the team as possible. I was always trying to make the most of every single moment.
“I think being out of it makes you appreciate it even more. It felt like a bonus because I made peace with my eight caps. That’s not bad – it’s better than one, it’s better than zero. It’s something to tell the kids and you rationalise it in your own mind, then suddenly, I’m picking up caps and I’m playing more games than I probably ever thought.
“You do lose a lot of confidence when that happens [being dropped from the team]. You think, ‘Well, I was just never very good’.
“I actually thought at one point I was robbing a living, so to then go on and have the level of success I’ve had… what a bonus, what a life. No complaints from me. It’s beyond anything I could ever express in words.
“Whatever I do, I hope I’ve done something good with this privileged position I’ve been given.”
Who is going to replace Earps?
Hannah Hampton is now expected to be England’s No 1 goalkeeper
There had been a debate heading into this summer over who would be England No 1 – Earps or Chelsea goalkeeper Hampton.
The two had been trading starts since the start of 2024 as Wiegman looked to make her decision on who would be her first-choice goalkeeper.
It now appears Wiegman had made her choice with 24-year-old Hampton, which would have seen Earps among the substitutes.
Khiara Keating will now be one of the back-up goalkeepers to Hannah Hampton for England
In April, Wiegman told ITV that Hampton was a “little bit ahead” of Earps in terms of selection. The Blues stopper has started in three of England’s four Nations League games and has kept six clean sheets in her 13 caps.
She has just won the domestic treble with Chelsea and conceded the fewest number of goals in the WSL (13).
The former Aston Villa and Birmingham goalkeeper is now set to take the No 1 shirt, backed up by Khiara Keating – Manchester City’s No 1 – and Anna Moorhouse, who plays for Orlando Pride. However, neither have earned an England cap so far.
The three are expected to be the goalkeepers selected for the Euro 2025 squad.
