Mary Earps expressed her concerns to Sarina Wiegman about what she perceived as rewarding poor behaviour, following the England manager's decision to bring back Chelsea's Hannah Hampton. Earps, who retired unexpectedly from international play in May, was instrumental in England's European Championships win in 2022. She also played a significant role in helping the team reach the World Cup final the next year.
Hampton maintained her impressive form for England during the summer, contributing significantly to their European title defence in Switzerland. Her standout performances included crucial penalty saves against Sweden in the quarter-finals. Despite this success, Earps felt uneasy about Hampton's return, as she revealed in her autobiography
"All In," with excerpts published by the Guardian.
Earps wrote that Hampton's recall made her uncomfortable because it disrupted the positive atmosphere within the squad. She valued maintaining a healthy environment where players of all experience levels could thrive. Rewarding certain behaviours seemed contrary to these values, especially before a major tournament like the World Cup.
2025 Women's #ballondor nominee 2025 Women's Yachine Trophy nominee That's our @hannahhampton_ pic.twitter.com/YJMnWZ0WRaLionesses (@Lionesses) August 8, 2025
In a European Championships qualifier, Hampton was chosen over Earps, which left Earps feeling frustrated and emotional. She confronted Wiegman about this decision, saying: "I don't get it. It's a qualifier match. And bad behaviour is being rewarded. " This choice conflicted with her core values and affected her relationship with Wiegman and her commitment to the job.
By April 2025, Wiegman informed Earps that she was no longer considered England's main starter. Earps described feeling both heartbroken and relieved by this news: "I felt the weight of my heart sink to the floor and the relief that I finally had clarity lift from my shoulders all at once. "
