Mary Earps has revealed she told England coach Sarina Wiegman she was rewarding “bad behaviour” by reintegrating Hannah Hampton into the Lionesses squad in 2023 – a decision which would eventually lead to her shock international retirement ahead of Euro 2025.
Earps says Hampton’s “behaviour behind the scenes had frequently risked derailing training sessions and team resources” during England’s triumph on home soil at Euro 2022 and when Wiegman asked her about the idea of bringing Hampton back into the fold, she said “it doesn’t make me feel comfortable”.
The 32-year-old continued as England’s No 1 for their run to the 2023 World Cup final, but in April 2024, Wiegman made the decision to give Hampton “a second chance” and restored her to the squad for a Euro 2025 qualifying match against Sweden.
The decision did not go down well with Earps, who reveals in her tell-all autobiography, All In, which is being serialised in the Guardian that she responded:
“I don’t get it. It’s a qualifier match. And bad behaviour is being rewarded.”
Hampton would go on to start 13 of 16 games in the run-up to Euro 2025 and then played every minute at this summer’s tournament where she played a starring role.
Earps goes on to recall the conversation with Wiegman where she was told that Hampton would be England’s No 1 for their title defence this summer.
Chelsea keeper Hannah Hampton was a star for England during the summer’s Euros saving two penalties in the final shoot-out against Spain
She writes: “Then came the words I’d waited over 12 months to hear: ‘I’ve decided Hannah’s the No 1 for now.’ I felt the weight of my heart sink to the floor and the relief that I had finally had clarity lift from my shoulders all at once. ‘She’s a little bit ahead of you,’ Sarina continued. “It’s nothing you’ve done or done wrong.’
“‘I expected this,’ I said. I had 30 seconds to say my piece. I told her I wasn’t surprised by what she’d just said, that it had been a long time coming, but I felt extremely disappointed, nonetheless.
“Then I said: “I just think you could have been more direct and honest from the jump.” She wasn’t happy with that.
“No, I don’t think that’s fair. I always communicate openly. We’ve only just made this decision,” she cut in.
“That sounded like b******** to me. Darren didn’t look up from the floor the whole time.
“‘Respectfully,’ I said, ‘we’re going to have to agree to disagree. You’ve made your decision. I’ve had to make one too. This will be my last camp, I’m internationally retiring.'”
The former Manchester United No 1 goes on to say that Wiegman convinced her to reverse her decision in the build-up to PSG’s league semi-final play-off in May.
“Dubiously, I told her: ‘OK, I’ll continue.’ She was pleased. Then, before we left the call she offered up, in passing: ‘Well done, I saw you won last night.’ I was glad she’d noticed, as it reinforced what she’d said. Then she said she hadn’t watched it.
“With that, I knew instantly that I’d made the wrong choice; I immediately wished I hadn’t uttered the words. I had committed to something and someone who didn’t seem committed to me; whose words, where I was concerned, still didn’t match their actions.”
Earps reveals that Wiegman launched an attempt to reverse her retirement decision
Earps goes on to say, following the Champions League final in May, where she went to support her England teammates, she called Wiegman to tell her she had changed her decision and would retire.
“‘I can’t do it,’ I said,” Earps writes.
“‘Wow,’ came the reply. Her only word shook me. ‘I can’t believe it,’ she said. ‘I’m so disappointed. What made you change your mind?’
“‘I don’t think I ever really did,” I replied. I couldn’t have been more honest. I had been all along.”
Hampton would go on to save two penalties as England beat Spain to win the Euros in the summer. In September, Earps was on stage to present Hampton with the inaugural women’s Yashin trophy for her performances for both Chelsea and at the Euros.
Sky Sports News approached both the FA and Chelsea for comment, to which both declined.
‘I’m ready and happy to share’ – Earps reveals same-sex relationship
Mary Earps has revealed her same-sex relationship for the first time
In the same autobiography, Earps publicised the fact that she is in a same-sex relationship for the first time.
The PSG stopper has revealed details of her relationship with her girlfriend, Kitty, for the first time in her upcoming autobiography, All In, which will be published on November 6.
In a statement, Earps said: “I’ve always tried to keep my personal life separate from my professional one, but it would have felt inauthentic not to include something so important to me in this book. I’m in a really happy relationship.
“The people closest to me have always known, and I feel ready and happy to share that with everyone else now.”
LGBTQ+ charities and organisations have also praised her announcement, including the founder of the British LGBT Awards, Sarah Garrett, who called Earps “a hero and inspirational role model to young women and girls all over the world”.
After five years at Man Utd – during which she won the FA Cup – Earps moved to PSG in the summer of 2024. She was also awarded an MBE earlier this year for her services to football.