Does Mary Earps, an England player, hold the Women's Euros' unblemished record?
Mary Earps has made her mark as one of the best goalkeepers in women's football, evolving into a definitive force to be reckoned with over the past four years.
New manager Sarina Wiegman showed faith in Earps, making her the first choice between the posts when she took the helm in 2021. The ex-Manchester United goalkeeper played a crucial role in the Lionesses' victory at Euro 2022, securing the team's triumph [1].
Earps continued to shine at the 2023 FIFA World Cup finals in Australia, helping her team reach the final and later being honored once again with the FIFA Best Goalkeeper award [2]. Despite stiff competition, Earps is expected to contribute significantly to England's lineup during Switzerland.
Earps' performance during Euro 2022 earned her four clean sheets, recording shutouts against Austria, Norway, and Northern Ireland in the group stage, as well as in the semi-final victory over Sweden [3]. England's Group stage defensive effort equaled a tournament record, mirroring Germany's achievement in the 2005 finals [4].
With the 2023 World Cup clean sheet tally still to be added, Earps hopes to boost her overall count of four clean sheets in the Euros. She currently holds a clean sheet record of 26 in 53 caps for England in all competitions [3].
With a record of 11 clean sheets in total during her 15-year international career, Silke Rottenberg, a former Germany stopper, holds the record for the most clean sheets at the Euros, with three European championship titles to her name [2]. Rottenberg was part of the 1997, 2001, and 2005 winning German sides, setting a high bar for Earps to follow.
Despite Rottenberg's record, Earps still has the record for most WSL clean sheets in a single season, with an impressive 14 shutouts in 2022/23 for her former club, Manchester United.
As Mary Earps prepares for the 2024 Euros, she aims to compete with Hannah Hampton for England's No. 1 jersey, determined to cement her place as one of the best goalkeepers in women's European Championship history.
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57421973[2] https://www.fifa.com/awards/winners/female/one-best-forward-5/mary-earps/2023/[3] https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jul/31/england-euro-2022-final-mary-earps[4] https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/womens-euros-2022/results-schedule-and-fixtures_sto7364281/competition-record-low-goal-count-as-england-euro-2022-moves-into-quarterfinals
Mary Earps aims to compete for England's No. 1 jersey in the upcoming 2024 Euros, with her sights set on becoming one of the best goalkeepers in women's European Championship history.Her impressive clean sheet record, previously set in the WSL with 14 shutouts in a single season for Manchester United, continues to stand out in European-leagues football.
