Earps announces shock England retirement after losing place

The 32-year-old played a significant role in the Lionesses winning Euro 2022 but had recently lost her starting place to Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton.

Earps made 53 senior appearances over eight years for England, also winning the 2023 Women's Finalissima with her country before helping them reaching the final of the 2023 Women's World Cup.

England manager Sarina Wiegman said she was "disappointed" by Earps' decision, having hoped she would play an "important role" this summer.

Speaking of her "difficult decision", Earps said it was "the right time for me to step aside and give the younger generation an opportunity to thrive".

'Players disappointed' - how retirement unfolded

In April, Wiegman confirmed Hampton was "a little bit ahead" of Earps in the battle to be England's number one.

Earps was selected for the upcoming Women's Nations League matches against Portugal and Spain this week, the final international camp before Wiegman finalises her Euro 2025 squad.

BBC Sport has been told Earps met with Wiegman before the camp and then announced her decision to the squad on Monday at St George's Park.

Players were said to be disappointed that she would not be at the Euros to support the group.

Earps did not train on Monday and has left the camp.

"I had hoped that Mary [Earps] would play an important role within the squad this summer, so of course I am disappointed," Wiegman said.

Earps on why she retired

Earps - who left Manchester United to join French side Paris St-Germain last summer - wrote on social media: "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."

Earps was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2023, having won the Golden Glove for the best goalkeeper at the 2023 World Cup - held in Australia and New Zealand.

She also won the Best Fifa Goalkeeper award in 2022 and 2023.

"My journey has never been the simplest, so in true Mary fashion, this isn't a simple goodbye - right before a major tournament," she posted on Instagram.

"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."

On several occasions, Earps has called for change in women's football.

She challenged Nike in 2023 after the kit supplier failed to produce any replica England goalkeeper shirts before that year's World Cup, an incident she described as "hugely hurtful".

In confirming the end of her England career, she said: "I have given everything, my heart and soul. I left it all out there on the pitch and did my best to help systemic change of it. I have no regrets."

Analysis - 'Decision nobody saw coming'

Given Euro 2025 kicks off in five weeks' time, this is news that has shocked the women's football world.

It is a decision that nobody saw coming and Wiegman's quotes suggest it even came as a surprise to her.

The England manager had been preparing to have Earps in the squad, but she has been in competition for the number one spot with Chelsea's Hampton this year and it looked like she had lost the battle.

That is surely the main reason for Earps' sudden decision, with Hampton getting the nod in goal in the past three England matches, including a crucial 1-0 win over Spain at Wembley in February.

She has been used to being the main woman under Wiegman - she was vice-captain at the Women's World Cup in 2023 - and started every match at England's past two major tournaments.

But this is a new era for the Lionesses now and Earps must have known her role was changing.

She will be missed, having contributed greatly with individual performances over the last three years in particular, but also for her contributions in growing the profile of the women's game in England.

From challenging Nike to produce shirts with her name on the back, to highlighting mental health at the Fifa Best Awards in her victory speech, Earps has gathered a huge following from supporters and is one of the most high-profile female footballers in the country.

Her impact cannot be understated.

Lengthy honours list

Earps has enjoyed a trophy-laden career since moving into senior football with Leicester City in 2009-2010.

Alongside her major honours with England, the goalkeeper won a German league and cup double with Wolfsburg in 2018-19, before winning the FA Women's Cup with Manchester United in 2023-24.

In 2022-23 Earps won the Women's Super League Golden Glove prize, before being named BBC Women's Footballer of the Year and BBC Sports Personality of the Year, beating cricketer Stuart Broad and heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson to the latter.

Earps was also named in the Fifpro women's World XI team in both 2023 and 2024.

She did not add any silverware this season as PSG went trophyless.

-BBC