Mary Earps’ Shocking Retirement: Timing Couldn’t Be Worse for England

Mary Earps’ announcement that she was retiring from international football with immediate effect landed like a bolt from the blue.

With just five weeks to go until this summer’s European Championships kick off in Switzerland, the spotlight had been firmly on the fitness races of injured stars such as Georgia Stanway and Lauren James – and whether they’d recover in time to make the hallowed squad.

Because that, as players often remind us, is what they live for. Just the chance to wear the jersey – no matter what. Some call it heavy, laden with expectation. Others say the opposite: that donning their nation’s shirt makes them feel invincible.

But one common thread runs through every conversation with these athletes – whether it’s a wide-eyed academy graduate or a seasoned legend battling back from injury for one last shot at glory – and that’s the belief that it’s the greatest privilege of all.

And yet, on the eve of the tournament, Earps’ announcement that she no longer wishes to play for the Lionesses seems to defy everything we’ve ever been told about what it means to represent your country.

For context, Earps has been England’s first-choice goalkeeper since Sarina Wiegman took the reins in September 2021. A cornerstone of the Euro 2022 triumph and a hero of the 2023 Women’s World Cup, she has become an icon of the women’s game.

Earps has been an inspiration to many during a golden period for the England team

She has previously starred under Sarina Wiegman, but has now let the England boss down

Her performances throughout that tournament – especially in the final against Spain, where she saved Jenni Hermoso’s penalty and unleashed her now-legendary ‘f** yes, f** off!’ celebration – cemented her status. She went on to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year, despite England falling just short of glory.

In the 20 months since that final, England have struggled for consistency. They failed to qualify for the Olympic yet have shown flashes of brilliance – holding the formidable USA to a draw at Wembley and beating world champions Spain in February.

Amidst all of this, England boss Wiegman has been trying to figure out her best team, and that has included rotating her two best goalkeepers Earps and Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton – the 24-year-old star of treble-winners Chelsea.

And in the last camp there were hints that Earps, a two-time FIFA Best women’s goalkeeper, was starting to lose the race. Where in prior international breaks Wiegman would give Earps and Hampton a game apiece, in the most recent Nations League games against Belgium Hampton started back-to-back.

That all brings us to now, barely a month later, with Earps having waved the white flag. Insiders say that Earps has been considering retiring for the last 18 months now – only to be convinced to stay.

In many ways, that’s understandable. At 32, she’s had one of the most decorated international careers in the women’s game. A European champion, over 50 caps, a World Cup Golden Glove, and multiple individual honours.

What’s harder to digest is the timing. Major tournaments are messy, unpredictable. If Wiegman had indeed leaned towards Hampton, an injury could’ve thrust Earps straight back in.

Now, as Wiegman fine-tunes her squad, she must also manage the shock departure of one of her most trusted deputees. Mail Sport understands Earps’ teammates have been left stunned by the suddenness of the announcement, and the Dutch coach is also reportedly furious. You can read as much between the lines from her quotes in the FA’s official statement.

But Earps appears to have sent out the message that she is not willing to fight for her place with Hannah Hampton (pictured)

Wiegman is understood to be furious with the timing of Earps’ retirement announcement

‘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,’ said Wiegman.

‘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.’

In other words, ‘I don’t have the time for this’.

And what message does this send to the rest of the squad? If the ultimate dream is to fight for a place in this team, what does it say when a teammate simply walks away? In a moment where leaders are needed, Wiegman has been let down by one of her greatest.

It has been a great, wonderful privilege to watch Earps command the spotlight, and her influence on the progression of the women’s game can never be understated. If only she could have waited until the end of the Euros and bowed out in style.