Excerpts from Mary Earps’s new autobiography, in which she discusses conversations about fellow goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and manager Sarina Wiegman, have dominated headlines and unsettled members of the Lionesses setup.
It is unusual for a current international to publish detailed recollections about colleagues who are still playing and coaching, and the timing — shortly after England’s Euro 2025 triumph — has added to the sensitivity.
In the book, Earps says she told Wiegman that recalling Hampton amounted to rewarding “bad behaviour,” and that Hampton had previously been dropped for being “disruptive and unreliable.” Those passages, first published in extracts in the Guardian, prompted a strong response inside the game.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor publicly defended Hampton, praising her conduct and suggesting Earps’s remarks showed a lack of respect for Wiegman. Earps has since told BBC Sport she did not write the book to “tear anyone down” and has expressed hope the fallout will not permanently damage her relationship with the England coach.
Younger and current squad members have tried to strike a balancing line. Manchester City goalkeeper Khiara Keating — who has recently made her England debut — said she has “time” for both Earps and Hampton and that the goalkeeper group usually stays united. Keating added she hopes the pair will sort things out and that the squad can refocus on football, noting that the media attention “comes with the job” but is a distraction.
Former players have also reacted with disappointment. Ellen White, part of the Euro 2022 squad, said she felt “uneasy” and saddened by the public airing of internal matters, arguing there is an unwritten rule that what happens inside the dressing room should remain private. Ex-Scotland and Arsenal defender Jen Beattie echoed that tough moments within teams are better kept behind closed doors.
Sources close to the Lionesses say many players are puzzled by Earps’s decision to publish the claims so soon after a major tournament. A number of squad members have asked to limit media commitments to avoid being dragged into the controversy or forced to pick sides. Those close to Hampton say she is attempting to ignore the noise and concentrate on club duties, though the attention has been intrusive ahead of a key Women’s Super League match against Arsenal.
The timing also complicates England’s immediate plans. Wiegman is due to name a squad for upcoming friendly fixtures against China and Ghana in a matter of weeks, and the manager — along with players — will likely face questions about the issue in press conferences. The friendlies were intended to be part of a homecoming celebration for the Euro 2025 winners, but the mood around those fixtures has been dampened.
Commentators and former internationals have weighed in on Earps’s standing. TNT Sports columnist and ex-midfielder Fara Williams said Earps’s achievements — including Euro successes and a high-profile World Cup penalty save — will ensure she remains in the history books, but Williams said she was baffled by Earps going public about Hampton without fuller detail. Williams argued that if allegations of prior misconduct were to be aired, they should be explained rather than left vague.
Inside the camp, players and staff appear keen to move past the row and preserve the culture that helped England win consecutive European titles. Still, many expect a distracting period as media scrutiny and public debate continue until the team returns to full training and Wiegman sets out her squad. For now, the priority for most involved is to get back to preparing for matches and to protect the team environment from further division.
