England goalkeeper Mary Earps retires from international football

New Delhi: England goalkeeper Mary Earps has shockingly announced her decision to retire from international football just five weeks before the upcoming Women’s European Championship after she recently lost her starting place to Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton.

 Earps, who plays for Paris Saint Germain, is an icon in English football and was pivotal to their historic triumph at the 2022 Women’s Euros and also saved a penalty in England’s loss in the finals of the 2023 Women’s FIFA World Cup. Goalkeepers Hampton, Khiara Keating and Anna Moorhouse will be part of a 26-player squad which will take on Portugal and Spain in a bid to reach the UEFA Women’s Nations League knockout stages.

In her letter to fans, Earps admitted that although the decision may not make much sense, given England begin their European title defence against France on July 6.

“I have taken the difficult decision to retire internationally. It has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life, to wear this badge and represent my country.

“My journey has never been the simplest, and so in true Mary fashion, this isn’t a simple goodbye - right before a major tournament. 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, but what it boils down to is: it’s now the right moment to step aside.

The former Man Utd goalkeeper made her England debut in 2017 and represented the Lionesses on 57 occasions. She was out of the national set-up for nearly two years before Sarina Wiegman’s arrival in 2021, following which she became the first-choice goalkeeper. (IANS)

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