Mary Earps beats male footballers to Sports Personality of the Year shortlist
England goalkeeper Mary Earps has made the shortlist for this year’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award – with no other footballer making the cut. Earps is joined by five other sporting legends on the list, but none are footballers – male or female.
Cricketer Stuart Broad, jockey Frankie Dettori, wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, heptathlete Katarine Johnson Thompson and golfer Rory McIlroy join her as the prestigious hopefuls who could walk home with the title at the awards on Tuesday, December 19, with Earps the bookies’ favourite to win.
The 30-year-old goalkeeper helped England reach the Women’s World Cup final back in August before eventually losing out 1-0 to winners Spain in the final. Earps was awarded the Golden Glove by keeping three clean sheets throughout the tournament.
The Manchester United stopper was named England Women player of the year, came fifth in the voting for the 2023 Ballon d’Or Feminin award – the highest-ever ranking for a goalkeeper – and kept a Women’s Super League record 14 clean sheets for United last season.
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The nomination comes just 24 hours after the Lionesses goalie’s shirts sold out within just five minutes of going on sale on Monday. Nike made the shirts available after coming under fire from football fans during the Women’s World Cup because they were not available to buy.
Fans were outraged when they couldn’t show their support for Earps by buying a shirt during the games, with many taking matters into their own hands and making DIY versions.
Hardcore fans did everything from ironing on her name and shirt number to making it with tape, with celebrities also following suit.
BBC 5Live presenter Rick Edwards wrote on Twitter: “F*** it, I’m making my own Mary Earps shirt.”
In response, singer Kate Nash posted a selfie in her own homemade Earps shirt – a white t-shirt on which she had written the goalkeeper’s name and her number 1, using a felt tip pen.
Speaking at a hotel in Brisbane during the tournament, Earps said: “I can’t really sugarcoat this any way so I’m not going to try, it’s hugely disappointing and very hurtful. It’s something that I’ve been fighting behind closed doors. I’ve been desperately trying to find a solution with the FA and with Nike.”
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The number of home goalkeeper shirts put on sale was comparable to the number made available for the men’s goalkeeper shirt at a major tournament.
A limited number of away and third goalkeeper shirts were also made available in adult sizes and sold out. There is still availability on the Nike website, but the shirts sold out in the England store.
Nike say goalkeeper kits will be available in all future England Women shirt sales.
Earps, who won the 2023 World Cup Golden Glove award, finished fifth in 2023 Ballon d’Or Feminin voting and was named England Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season, took to Instagram after the goalkeeper shirts sold out in October, saying: “We did it gang”.
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