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Keeper Mary Earps has emphatically said that her recently published personal story was never intended to “damage others” and shared worry that public reaction has been “distorted.”

Controversial Comments and Supporters’ Disapproval

The ex-Lionesses player, who was instrumental in the championship win, faced backlash from followers and Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor after commenting about former team-mate Hannah Hampton and coach Sarina Wiegman.

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

“The response has been immense to see how certain aspects were twisted,” Earps shared in an interview.

Explaining Her Motives

Earps clearly stated that her memoir was never intended to damage anyone.

• “I’ve not written this book to tear anyone down in any manner.”
• “That isn’t my personality as a human being.”
• “This is real life. It has consequences. It is not a show.”

She also commented on how the women’s game has moved into an area that has become “a bit like entertainment,” where individual stories are picked apart for audience entertainment.

Connection to the Coach

Earps wrote about losing her spot as the starting goalkeeper prior to Euro 2025 and how that affected their dynamic with Wiegman.

She explained it was “not a sudden deterioration” in their connection—just a clash of viewpoints—and she still respects the head coach.

“Certain events that happened in the summer that I wish had happened differently,” Earps stated.

Individual Difficulties

In the autobiography, Earps opened up about the bullying she suffered at in her younger years, describing it as a “extremely difficult” chapter to go back to because it revived past pain.

• “I couldn’t assert myself back then.”
• “I always believed that people were against me for a long time.”
• “I became accustomed to feel like people were indifferent.”

These sentiments led to anxiety episodes, and Earps revealed she had issues with self-perception and used alcohol during the global health crisis to cope with anxiety and depression.

Private Matters and Aspirations

Earps publicly revealed that she is in a partnership with Kitty and expressed pride about her connection with Kitty.

She also discussed her wish to have children and revealed she has undergone egg freezing for potential family planning.

“I deeply desire to be a parent and have a family,” Earps commented. “I enjoy my football career, but I aspire to have a child later down the line.”

Earps characterized the egg-freezing procedure as “crazy and invasive” and pushed for more research tailored to players undergoing equivalent processes.

Throughout the interview, Earps emphasized that she has no feelings of remorse about her sports path or individual actions, stressing that she always proceeded with principle.