'Devastated' Williamson hopes Earps has done right thing

England skipper Leah Williamson said she hopes Mary Earps' status from world shot is "the champion determination for her".

The Paris St-Germain goalkeeper announced she had played her past crippled for England on Tuesday, conscionable 5 weeks earlier nan commencement of Euro 2025.

The timing of her determination has received disapproval but asked if she thought Earps' prime was a selfish one, Williamson said: "I deliberation to get astatine that determination must beryllium 1 of nan hardest things successful your career.

"She is simply a quality first and I dream Mary is OK and it's nan champion determination for her. We will miss her."

Williamson, who celebrated winning nan Women's Champions League pinch Arsenal connected Saturday, added: "I said to Mary, she's 1 of my closest friends successful shot - truthful I'm devastated, conscionable because I emotion her, I emotion being her team-mate.

"I deliberation nan measurement that she wears nan England garment is an illustration to america each truthful I'm very sad that those memories are not going to proceed successful an England shirt.

"But for her, she thinks this is nan champion thing, and I'll support her successful that always."

Manager Sarina Wiegman said she was "really disappointed and sad" astir Earps' determination - because she "wanted her successful my team".

She would not disclose specifications connected nan conversations she shared pinch Earps aliases erstwhile she first knew of nan goalkeeper's intentions to measurement down.

However, speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Wiegman admitted nan news came arsenic a "shock" to nan players.

Earps played 53 games complete 8 years for England, winning nan 2022 Euros, 2023 Women's Finalissima and helping them scope nan 2023 World Cup final.

The 32-year-old claimed nan Fifa Best Goalkeeper grant for 2 successive years but had precocious mislaid her England starting spot to Chelsea's Hannah Hampton.

"That must person been a really difficult determination for her and truthful it is for us," added Wiegman.

"Of course, I person a mates of conversations which I don't want to stock present because that's betwixt us. It's hard, I find it hard, and it's difficult for her astatine nan aforesaid time.

"She has done specified a awesome occupation for England. She has made a monolithic quality and we've had an unthinkable travel truthful far. I really cherish that.

"It's affectional because we besides person a narration and we've had specified a monolithic travel together pinch tons of highs and, of course, immoderate lows too.

"That's what makes it really hard. But we person to move connected and we don't person clip now to observe because we're going into nan Euros."

When asked if she tried to person Earps to stay, Wiegman added: "She knows I want her successful nan team, truthful of course, we talked astir that."

Earlier this week, Chelsea skipper Millie Bright withdrew from nan England squad for their upcoming Nations League matches to return an extended break and let a play of recovery.

England invited Portugal to Wembley connected Friday (19:45 BST), earlier travelling to Barcelona to look Spain connected Tuesday (18:00 BST).

Bright, 31, who led Chelsea to a unbeaten home play and won nan Treble, said she is "mentally and physically" astatine her limits and needs a break.

Wiegman did not corroborate if she will return successful clip for nan Euros but says she hopes Bright tin "take nan clip that will thief her settee again successful time".

"She has to return attraction of herself. We are successful conversations and I don't cognize wherever that gets to," added Wiegman.

"We'll enactment successful interaction and I dream she feels amended soon, but I don't cognize that yet astatine nan moment.

"We person group astir who tin springiness that support. The demands connected nan game, connected and disconnected nan pitch, has accrued a lot. We person to accommodate and that's not ever easy."

Williamson, who started each crippled alongside Bright astatine Euro 2022, said it was a "brave thing" for nan Chelsea defender to speak retired about.

"I deliberation for anybody to speak retired astir intelligence wellness is simply a brave point to do. I deliberation it encourages different group to do nan same," said Williamson.

"She's starring by example. I've fixed Millie a spot of space, erstwhile personification is successful that caput space. But naturally, immoderate support that she needs and thing that she needs from nan team, we will beryllium location to springiness it to her."

As good arsenic Earps' status and Bright's withdrawal, location was a further rustle for England this week erstwhile young Tottenham defender Ella Morris suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) wounded aft receiving her first elder call-up.

The Football Association said they would proceed to support 22-year-old Morris, who suffered nan wounded successful training, passim her recovery.

"That is awful. She came successful and did really well. [There was] nary interaction and unluckily she tore her ACL," said Wiegman.

"She's devastated, we're devastated and of people we wish her a bully rehab, but that was benignant of a daze that that happened."

Elsewhere, Wiegman confirmed Manchester United defender Millie Turner's hopes of making nan Euros squad are complete aft she fractured her ft past week.

United midfielder Ella Toone and Arsenal guardant Alessia Russo are besides unavailable to look Portugal owed to insignificant calf injuries.

There was a much affirmative update regarding Chelsea guardant Lauren James, while Wiegman confirmed team-mate Hampton will beryllium England's number 1 goalkeeper going into nan Euros.

On James, she said: "She's successful [recovery] still. She's successful a bully place, doing really well. We want - and she wants excessively - to get her backmost for nan Euros.

"So acold she has ticked nan boxes that she needs to tick and we're conscionable progressing her. We conscionable dream that she keeps moving guardant and she tin subordinate america later on."