England goalkeeper Earps States Her Book Was Not Written to Damage Reputations

Keeper Mary Earps has emphatically said that her newly released personal story was not designed to “damage others” and expressed concern that audience feedback has been “distorted.”

Controversial Comments and Public Criticism

The retired international player, who was instrumental in the Euro 2022 victory, faced backlash from fans and Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor after commenting about past Lioness Hannah Hampton and head coach Sarina Wiegman.

In her book, Earps wrote that she told Wiegman she was “rewarding bad behaviour” by bringing Hampton back to the national team after leaving her out for being “disruptive and unreliable.”

“I’ve found it quite intense to see how parts were misrepresented,” Earps stated publicly.

Explaining Her Motives

Earps strongly emphasized that her book was not designed to hurt others.

• “This book wasn’t written to damage reputations in any way whatsoever.”
• “That doesn’t reflect my character as a person.”
• “These are real events. It has repercussions. It isn’t a drama.”

She also discussed how the women’s game has moved into an area that has become “a bit like entertainment,” where personal lives are analyzed in detail for public amusement.

Dynamic with the Manager

Earps mentioned losing the starting position as England’s number one ahead of the tournament and how that strained her relationship with Wiegman.

She stated it was “not a sudden deterioration” in their connection—just a clash of viewpoints—and she continues to admire the manager.

“Several incidents that happened in the summer that I would have preferred to go another way,” Earps stated.

Personal Struggles

In her book, Earps shared details of the bullying she suffered at during her education, describing it as a “really hard” section to go back to because it brought back past pain.

• “I couldn’t assert myself back then.”
• “I just assumed that people disapproved of me for a long time.”
• “I was trained to feel like people were indifferent.”

These feelings led to stress outbreaks, and Earps revealed she had issues with body image and used alcohol during the global health crisis to manage emotional difficulties.

Relationships and Goals

Earps openly discussed that she is in a relationship with a woman and stated she is proud about her relationship.

She also discussed her desire to be a mother and revealed she has preserved her eggs for future use.

“I really want to be a parent and have a household,” Earps said. “I enjoy my football career, but I aspire to have a child at a later stage.”

Earps portrayed the fertility process as “crazy and invasive” and called for more research tailored to sports professionals undergoing equivalent processes.

Throughout the interview, Earps reiterated that she has no feelings of remorse about her sports path or life decisions, highlighting that she always behaved honestly.