Manchester United’s Mary Earps Voted BBC Women’s Footballer Of The Year

Mary Earps, nan existent holder of nan The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper award, has go nan first successful her position to beryllium voted arsenic nan BBC Women's Footballer of nan Year.

The Manchester United subordinate has successful 2023 cemented her position arsenic nan number 1 goalkeeper successful nan world by winning nan FIFA Golden Glove arsenic nan champion successful her position astatine nan FIFA Women's World Cup. Despite losing nan last to Spain, Earps still managed to separate herself by becoming only nan 2nd goalkeeper successful history to prevention a punishment footwear successful nan last lucifer from Jenni Hermoso.

On receiving nan grant astatine her club's training crushed astatine Carrington, Earps said "I americium genuinely honored to beryllium BBC Women’s Footballer of nan Year. Thank you truthful overmuch for voting for me. To beryllium nan first goalkeeper to get their hands connected nan grant is incredibly typical and I americium incredibly grateful. Hopefully, 1 of galore much to travel and convey you truthful overmuch again."

Earps received much votes than the Ballon D'Or winner, Aitana Bonmatí of FC Barcelona and Spain, who vanished 2nd successful nan voting, and Chelsea and Australia's Sam Kerr, who vanished successful nan apical 3 for nan 5th clip successful six years. Aitana's FC Barcelona team-mate, Fridolina Rolfö of Sweden and VfL Wolfsburg and Germany striker, Alexandra Popp, were nan different 2 players shortlisted for nan grant past month.

First awarded successful 2015, Earps has go nan ninth victor of nan prize which has not often followed nan way of different awesome individual honors. Each year, 5 players are shortlisted by a sheet of existent and erstwhile master players, coaches and journalists. The victor is selected wholly by an online ballot of visitors to nan BBC Sport website.

Not amazingly - considering nan mostly of voters are based successful nan United Kingdom - six of nan erstwhile 8 winners of nan BBC grant person either been British aliases playing successful nan English Women's Super League. Two-time victor Ada Hegerberg is nan only recipient ne'er to person played successful England.

Many will beryllium amazed that Aitana, who has already claimed nan UEFA Women's Player of nan Year and Ballon D'Or award, was not voted arsenic nan victor successful a twelvemonth successful which she has won nan convention and UEFA Women's Champions League pinch her nine and FIFA Women's World Cup pinch Spain. In comparison, Earps won nan Arnold Clark Cup and nan Finalissima but is yet to triumph a trophy pinch Manchester United.

In nan past 2 years, Aitana's compatriot Alexia Putellas besides swept up each nan individual honors going, but she could not declare nan BBC Women's Footballer of nan Year prize successful 2021 aliases 2022, doubly finishing 3rd down Arsenal strikers Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead successful successive years.

The world accolades for Earps are each nan much singular considering that conscionable 2 years ago, she was not included among nan 3 goalkeepers selected for nan Great Britain Olympic squad and was contemplating her early successful nan game.

However, nan pursuing twelvemonth Sarina Wiegman was appointed England coach and coming successful pinch nary preconceptions, she selected Earps for her first crippled successful complaint aft being impressed pinch her successful training. The goalkeeper has not looked backmost since, starting each crippled for nan Lionesses arsenic they won nan UEFA Women's Euro connected location soil.

"I effort to usage my communicative arsenic a beacon of dream for people," said Earps. "To show that location are amended days coming. You conscionable person to support going and support fighting; that looks very different to different people. I deliberation location was a time, erstwhile nary 1 was watching what I was doing. To activity difficult successful silence, connected your own, cipher notices what you do."

"It doesn’t matter what you do, isolated from to yourself and your ain standards. I deliberation that is simply a large portion of wherever I americium today, and benignant of nan resilience that I’ve shown and I cognize location are going to beryllium galore much moments wherever I’m going to request that resilience."

Manchester United skipper Katie Zelem amazed Earps pinch nan trophy astatine Carrington and paid tribute to her nine and world team-mate. "It’s amazing. We cognize Mary’s qualities, we’ve seen them astatine England, astatine Manchester United. She’s kept america successful galore games."

"Mary brings a batch of characteristic to nan group, whether that’s successful nan squad aliases outside. I deliberation what she has done for goalkeeping has been outstanding. There is evidently a spread successful nan marketplace and Mary really wants to push goalkeeping and we’re each truthful down her for that."

On position of her award, Earps was besides shown a bid of video messages from Wiegman, Fara Williams, England's astir capped international, and erstwhile Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel who said, "what a awesome accomplishment for you to beryllium named Women’s Footballer of nan Year! It doesn’t hap very often to goalkeepers - I person to opportunity - being ‘player of nan year’ anywhere, really."

"It’s ever nan girls aliases nan guys who people nan goals, not nan ones who forestall them. But you’ve had a awesome play and it’s truthful good deserved. And of course, you are making our nine Manchester United truthful very, very proud. So support up nan bully activity and erstwhile again, galore many congratulations."