22 August 2023 , 11:03
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A reporter was left stunned after talking goalkeepers with football fans on a train - only to discover they are England star Mary Earps' parents!
The Copa90 journalist bumped into two kitted-out supporters and wanted to discover how they managed to bag the tops after Nike sparked outrage in the build-up to the Women's World Cup when it emerged that they were unwilling to manufacture replica copies of goalkeeper shirts.
He got more than he bargained for when they found out how they came to get hold of them and quickly released who he was talking to with fans online pointing out how much the England stopper and her mum look alike - and how the reporter didn't clock it!
Mary Earps' parents bragged about the 'classy' goalkeeper (@copa90/TikTok)
She's been nicknamed Mary Queen of Stops (Jose Breton/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock)"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 quizzed them as Mary's dad replied: "Yeah we are, definitely." They were then asked: "Who is your favourite goalkeeper?"
They yelled: "Mary Earps!" before the interviewer questioned: "Not Mackenzie Arnold?" He said: "She did well, but Mary Earps is a bit more classy." Suddenly, he released he was speaking to her mum and dad. "You're not related, are you?" he asked, and after the penny drops he said: "How proud are you?"
Earps reacts to FIFA Best nomination and on season so far with Man Utd
The TikTok clip quickly found its way onto 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!"
In the wake of their daughter's and the Lionesses' achievements, Nike have released a fresh statement outlining that they are working on "solutions for future tournaments" which would, presumably, see Earps' jersey available to purchase.
A Nike spokesperson said: "Nike is committed to women's football and we're excited by the passion around this year's tournament and the incredible win by the Lionesses to make it into the final.
"We are proudly offering the best of Nike innovation and services to our federation partners and hundreds of athletes. We hear and understand the desire for a retail version of a goalkeeper jersey and we are working towards solutions for future tournaments, in partnership with Fifa and the federations.