Ex-Lionesses goalkeeper Mary Earps apologises for 'hurt' her autobiography caused & reveals meeting with Sarina Wiegman after 'first experience of cancel culture'

Earps' autobiography led to huge backlash when it was released back in November. In it, she said that Hampton was "rewarded" for "bad behaviour" by Wiegman and described the England's boss' handling of the goalkeeping competition as "bullsh*t". Earps was the Lionesses' No.1 for their Euro 2022 triumph and the run to the 2023 Women's World Cup final but found herself losing a battle with Hampton to keep that place for Euro 2025, before eventually retiring from international duty in a shock announcement just before the tournament began. Reporting in the Telegraph said it came because Earps could not accept being the back-up goalkeeper.

Earps gave a series of interviews around the time of the book's release, but she has now spoken about the situation for the first time in several months and admitted that, having had the time to digest everything and reflect, she can "understand" the reaction to her autobiography.

Speaking to ITV News, the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper said: "It's been a crazy, crazy time. Especially November and December was pretty difficult. The way I describe it is it's like my first experience of cancel culture and I wouldn't recommend it to people. Jokes aside, November, December were tough, but ultimately it's off the back of my book, which is my name, my face and I take full accountability for that.

"It wasn't necessarily about the fact that I shared my experiences, it was more in the way that some of it was expressed. The way I articulated myself at times, decisions made around the book as well. Not just the book itself. So, yeah, there's a bunch of things. It kind of went out of control really quickly. I think all you can do from that point is learn and grow. I take my responsibility as a role model really seriously.

"You can't just be maybe front and centre and follow the joys of spring when things are really good. Of course life brings tough lessons sometimes, I think it's important to be authentic and accountable in those moments as well. I think that's what true role models should be."

Many were especially stunned by the comments Earps made about Wiegman, who recalled the goalkeeper to the England squad upon her appointment as Lionesses boss back in September 2021. The former Manchester United shot-stopper had been in international wilderness at that point, with her last call-up almost two years prior.

Earps revealed this week that she has since met up with Wiegman, though she chose to keep the details of the conversation private. "I've reached out to people involved and taken accountability and apologised for the hurt and the impact that the book would have had on them and people around them," she said. "I think the big conversation really that was important to me was with Sarina. We had an opportunity to meet face to face and have a conversation. It was a really positive conversation. I'm really grateful that we were able to do that in person."

Earps witnessed the backlash around the book first-hand in November, when she was subject to boos upon her return to Manchester as PSG faced United in the Champions League. There were, though, many who were supportive of the goalkeeper in what was always set to be an intriguing situation the second the comments in her book were made public.

How Earps is received in similar situations in the future will be interesting, and there could be a couple looming. The Football Association is talking with the former England No.1 about a date to celebrate her retirement, after she was unable to accept an invite to do so at Wembley ahead of a friendly against China back in November. She told the Telegraph that will "hopefully" come in 2026.

And then there is Earps' contract situation. The 32-year-old's current deal at PSG expires this summer and it wouldn't be a huge shock to see her return to England's Women's Super League. "We’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?" she told the Guardian on that topic. "I’m not too sure yet. I know I’m really enjoying Paris."