Mary Earps' amazing family from TikTok star mum to dad who launched career
Mary Earps has enjoyed an amazing 2023, and no-one is prouder than her super-tight family.
The England Lioness goalie had already been named the Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper in the World, and now she's been nominated for the coveted Sports Personality of the Year award.
It's an impressive title and a huge cry from the setback the footballer faced two years ago when she feared her dream career was over after being dropped by England. Thankfully, the team's new manager, Sarina Wiegman, helped her get back on the pitch. Now, she has proven her doubters wrong and shown her rightful place in the squad as a European champion and award-winning goalie, competing in the 2023 Women's World Cup.
"We don't fear anyone" was her message ahead of one game against Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium as an inspiration to all. But when Mary isn't saving goals alongside fellow Lionesses, the pro player is living her best life travelling the world and spending time with her loved ones at home.
Mary is incredibly close to her family (Instagram/1maryearps)
She text them as soon as she was nominated for FIFA's Best Award (Instagram/1maryearps)The 30-year-old is close with her family, including parents David and Julie, and has said they all keep her grounded with her new-found success. Speaking to GQ Magazine, she revealed that it was during a kickabout in the garden with her dad and brother that she decided she wanted to be a professional footballer. So she joined a local team and her supportive parents took her to matches and training. "I was playing a local Saturday match and saved a penalty," she said. That was the moment she knew she wanted to be a keeper.
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They were the first people she messaged when she was nominated for FIFA's Best Award too. "I was blown away [to be nominated]. There aren't loads of awards around for goalkeepers," Mary told BBC Sport. "I texted my mum and dad straight away. They humbly replied with just 'well done'. It was a standard Earps family reply, super chilled. It's really nice and the real icing on the cake. It doesn't happen often and it never really happens to me so I forget [these awards] exist in a way. To be named on the shortlist, it came out of the blue, and it was really cool."
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Back in August, an unsuspecting reporter was stunned when he started interviewing football fans on a train, two of whom just happened to be Mary's parents. The Copa90 journalist spotted the two kitted-out supporters and questioned how they'd managed to get their tops after Nike sparked outrage in the build-up to the Women's World Cup by refusing to manufacture replica copies of goalkeeper shirts.
"How did you get your hands on goalkeepers' kits? They're the hardest thing to get your hands on. Are you both big fans of goalkeepers?" he asked as Mary's dad replied: "Yeah we are, definitely." They were then asked: "Who is your favourite goalkeeper?"
The reporter didn't realise he was talking to Mary's parents (@copa90/TikTok)
Mary got into football after a kickabout with her dad (Jose Breton/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)They yelled: "Mary Earps!" before the interviewer teased: "Not Mackenzie Arnold?" Her dad said: "She did well, but Mary Earps is a bit more classy." Suddenly, the journalist released he was speaking to her mum and dad. "You're not related, are you?" he asked, and after the penny dropped he said: "How proud are you?"
The TikTok clip quickly found its way onto X (formerly twitter) and after uploading the footage, the fan wrote: "Love this. Mary Earps parents playing it cool when being interviewed by a journalist who didn't seem to realise for quite a while... Her mum trying to keep a straight face has me giggling. The likeness with her mother is uncanny!"
As well as achieving numerous awards, Mary has been supported by her local community and even has a bus named after her in her hometown, West Bridgford, near Nottingham. She is often stopped for photographs and spotted in the street by fans - though it's taken some getting used to. She told Vogue: "A lot has changed since our Euros win, including the profile of the game. I'm trying to adjust to and enjoy the attention that comes with success. Not that I would have it any other way."
Outside of goalkeeping, Mary has a degree in information management and business studies too, but she's most passionate about shaping the future of football for females. She told GQ: "'I'm very ambitious about wanting to push myself to reach my absolute maximum potential and change the landscape of female goalkeeping. You know, just small goals."
It is unknown whether Mary is in a relationship and she chooses to keep much of her personal and love life private. Though she is the TikTok queen of the Lionesses with a following of nearly 700,000, and regularly joins in the latest trends or shows behind-the-scenes footage of matches to let fans in on the reality of being part of the England women's team.
One scan of Mary's Instagram account (@1maryearps) and you'll spot her holidaying it up in Madrid, Dubai, Australia and Berlin. Mary loves to snap a happy and relaxed shot when she's taking a break from football and soaking up the sun abroad. And she's no stranger to a pun, captioning a photo of her in Greece: "I can finally say that I've been to Greece, better late than feta." Another picture of her rowing a boat in Spain reads: "When you're trying to do a cute pout but forget you don't have a top lip."
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