MANCHESTER, England :England women’s goalkeeper Mary Earps announced she is retiring from international soccer with immediate effect on Tuesday in a stunning move barely a month before the start of the European Championship.
Earps called time on an eight-year career that included 53 appearances for England and numerous individual accolades including two FIFA Best Awards and a World Cup golden glove as well as winning the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year in 2023.
The Paris St-Germain keeper was a key player at both England’s 2022 European Championship victory and their runners-up finish to Spain at the 2023 Women’s World Cup. She had recently been named to Sarina Wiegman’s squad for Nations League games on Friday against Portugal and on Tuesday v Spain.
“I’ve spent a long time making this decision and it’s not one I’ve made lightly,” Earps said in a statement. “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.”
