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Goalkeeper Mary Earps has emphatically said that her freshly launched memoir was never intended to “damage others” and voiced unease that audience feedback has been “misinterpreted.”

Disputed Remarks and Public Criticism

The former England player, who was instrumental in the tournament success, faced backlash from fans and Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor after making remarks about past Lioness Hannah Hampton and coach Sarina Wiegman.

In her book, Earps reportedly claimed told Wiegman she was “supporting poor attitude” by bringing Hampton back to the Lionesses lineup after leaving her out for being “disruptive and unreliable.”

“The response has been immense to see how some things have been distorted,” Earps shared in an interview.

Clarifying Her Purpose

Earps clearly stated that her book was not meant to hurt others.

• “This book wasn’t written to damage reputations in any shape or form.”
• “That doesn’t reflect my character as a human being.”
• “This is real life. It has implications. It is not a show.”

She also commented on how female soccer has evolved into a realm that has become “almost like performance,” where individual stories are scrutinized heavily for public amusement.

Relationship with Wiegman

Earps mentioned losing the starting position as the starting goalkeeper prior to Euro 2025 and how that affected their dynamic with Wiegman.

She clarified it was “not an abrupt downfall” in their connection—just a difference of perspectives—and she still respects the coach.

“There were things that happened in the summer that I hoped had unfolded otherwise,” Earps stated.

Individual Difficulties

In her book, Earps opened up about the mistreatment she experienced at school, describing it as a “particularly challenging” part to revisit because it brought back previous trauma.

• “I failed to defend myself at that time.”
• “I just assumed that people were against me for a long time.”
• “I was trained to feel like nobody really cares.”

These feelings led to panic attacks, and Earps revealed she faced challenges with physical appearance and resorted to drinking during the Covid pandemic to handle mental health struggles.

Private Matters and Aspirations

Earps openly discussed that she is in a partnership with Kitty and expressed pride about her partnership.

She also mentioned her wish to have children and revealed she has frozen her eggs for future use.

“I deeply desire to be a mother and have a household,” Earps said. “I enjoy my football career, but I aspire to have a child at a later stage.”

Earps characterized the fertility process as “intense and intrusive” and called for more investigation tailored to sports professionals undergoing equivalent processes.

Throughout the interview, Earps reiterated that she has no second thoughts about her professional journey or life decisions, emphasizing that she always proceeded with principle.