In recent years, Mary Earps has become one of the game’s leading goalkeepers – not just domestically, but worldwide.
Mary turned out for Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Doncaster Belles, Birmingham City and Bristol City, but really turned heads at Reading, where she was named in the PFA Team of the Year and earned her first Lionesses cap.
Her performances for the Berkshire outfit drew the notices of Frauen-Bundesliga champions VFL Wolfsburg: Mary would go on to win her first honours with the German side, lifting both the title and the DFB-Pokal.
Returning to England with Manchester United, Earps steadily impressed domestically but remained down the pecking order internationally, but accrued more starts under new manager Sarina Wiegman in 2021. By the time of the 2022 EUROs, she was England’s first-choice goalkeeper.
She was one of the Lionesses’ standout performers at the tournament, conceding just two goals and earning a Team of the Year place. One year later, she saved a penalty in the Women’s World Cup final, winning the tournament’s Golden Glove.
Later that year, Mary collected more personal honours, named as BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year and England Women’s Player of the Year respectively.
She was awarded an MBE for services to football at the start of 2024, and continues to serve as a modern icon and role model for girls and women in the game.
