She made keeping cool and fought off-field battles - so why is Earps retiring now?

Few world retirements person shocked women's shot successful nan measurement Mary Earps' determination did.

Two years aft winning back-to-back Fifa Best goalkeeper awards, and 9 months connected from a high-profile move to Paris St-Germain, cipher predicted that Earps would retreat from work 5 weeks earlier Euro 2025.

England head Sarina Wiegman admitted she was "disappointed", and had hoped Earps would play an "important role" this summer.

So why has 1 of England's astir loved footballers decided to discontinue now? What bequest will she leave? And what does nan early look for illustration without her?

Earps' position astatine nan apical of nan goalkeeping pecking bid came nether threat past twelvemonth pinch nan emergence of Chelsea's Hannah Hampton.

Wiegman said successful April that Hampton was "a spot up of Earps" aft she had started her 3rd lucifer successful a row, including a important 1-0 triumph complete world champions Spain astatine Wembley successful nan Women's Nations League.

The England head had antecedently been reluctant to remark connected nan goalkeeping conflict but that connection was a beardown motion towards nan summer.

It's understood that Earps held discussions pinch Wiegman earlier she was scheduled to subordinate nan squad astatine St George's Park this week astir her position for nan Euros.

She later told her team-mates her determination connected Monday and did not train, earlier returning location and withdrawing from upcoming matches against Portugal and Spain.

Earps will person known her chances of regaining nan number 1 spot were slimming and she admitted successful her connection that it was a "new era for England".

Having knowledgeable setbacks pinch England earlier - astir notably erstwhile she was dropped by Phil Neville pursuing a 2-1 conclusion by Germany astatine Wembley successful 2019, not returning to nan world shape for 2 years - she will not person been keen to acquisition it again.

Wiegman's daze and disappointment was clear. Earps has been a captious personnel of England's awesome tourney successes, acting arsenic a leader. Her determination to measurement down 5 weeks earlier Euro 2025 has rocked nan squad.

Earps' effect connected nan maturation of women's shot and England's occurrence has been enormous.

As good arsenic playing a cardinal domiciled successful England's Euro 2022 victory, she was vice-captain arsenic they reached nan 2023 World Cup final, redeeming a punishment successful their conclusion by Spain.

More standout moments successful nan inaugural Women's Finalissima followed and she earned a high-profile move from Manchester United to Paris St-Germain past summer.

She has besides been showered pinch individual accolades, winning nan Fifa Best goalkeeper grant twice, arsenic good arsenic nan Golden Glove for nan champion keeper astatine nan 2023 World Cup.

Her effect disconnected nan transportation has been arsenic significant.

She utilized her level to speak out, discussing her individual intelligence wellness struggles while collecting her grant astatine nan Fifa Best arena successful 2023.

But possibly her astir notable involution came erstwhile she called retired Nike for failing to waste England women's goalkeeper shirts earlier nan World Cup, which led to a petition gathering much than 150,000 signatures and the sportswear elephantine making a U-turn.

At England games, fans would shriek her sanction to motion autographs and return photos, while a mural extracurricular Old Trafford was painted pursuing Euro 2022.

A plaque honouring Earps was installed successful her location city, Nottingham, wherever she besides has a tram named aft her.

She was besides nan first female footballer to person a waxwork fig made astatine Madame Tussauds, winning a nationalist vote.

Her position arsenic a patient instrumentality favourite was cemented erstwhile she won BBC's Sports Personality of nan Year successful 2023, showing her floor plan had transcended football.

Earps herself said successful February 2023 she wanted to make goalkeeping "cool" and location tin beryllium nary conflict that she has done that.

She went from being formed speech by Neville successful 2019, to dancing connected nan property convention array pinch a Euro 2022 winners' badge astir her cervix and roaring successful ceremony arsenic she made important punishment saves successful 2023.

Wiegman's disappointment astatine Earps' determination to propulsion retired of Euro 2025 is understandable fixed location is small acquisition successful nan goalkeeping department.

Hampton is simply a beardown number 1 and has progressed this season, taking connected nan baton of Chelsea's first-choice goalkeeper and playing successful a Women's Champions League semi-final.

Six of Hampton's 13 England appearances person travel successful nan past 15 months. There are nary doubts nan 24-year-old is ready.

However, neither of nan different 2 goalkeepers successful England's existent squad - Khiara Keating, 20, and Anna Moorhouse, 30 - person won a elder cap.

Keating is still competing for Manchester City's number 1 spot, while Moorhouse has enjoyed occurrence successful nan United States pinch Orlando Pride but is very overmuch an chartless fixed her first England squad call-up came successful July 2024.

Barcelona's Ellie Roebuck, 25, is simply a erstwhile England number 1 and started each 4 games for Team GB astatine nan delayed Olympic Games successful 2021.

But she has recovered herself connected nan periphery nether Wiegman and has not been successful nan squad aft recovering from a stroke past year.

Earps' world status leaves a important spread successful England's Euros squad. Finding personification to return that spot will not beryllium easy.