Mary Earps reveals girlfriend as Lionesses icon speaks out on sexuality for first time

Former Manchester United and England goalkeeper Mary Earps has shared that she now feels ready to speak publicly about her same-sex relationship. Ahead of the release of her new autobiography 'All In' next week, Earps opened up about her life on and off the pitch - including her 'really happy relationship.'

Giving a statement to the BBC, Earps said: "I've always tried to keep my personal life separate from my professional one, but it would have felt inauthentic not to include something so important to me in this book. I'm in a really happy relationship.

"The people closest to me have always known, and I feel ready and happy to share that with everyone else now."

Earps' manager, Tina Taylor, says she hopes that sharing her personal journey will inspire others around the world to find the confidence to live authentically.

"After the World Cup, the outpouring of love and support really showed Mary the impact she's had, and she was deeply touched by it," Taylor said. "By sharing details of her life away from football - something she's never done before - Mary is telling her story in her own way. It's honest and authentic."

Public figures have long faced media intrusion into their private lives, particularly around their sexuality. Yet compared to the men's game, women's football features significantly more openly gay players.

By contrast, the 2022 men's World Cup saw no players publicly identify as gay or bisexual. Earps has frequently spoken about the importance of being a trailblazer and a positive role model.

In an interview in August 2024, she said: "I'm a very ambitious person, a very hard-working person, and I think to try and push boundaries and try and be a pioneer for change, in many ways, is something that I really enjoy doing, and hopefully I can do for the rest of my career.

"As Lionesses, one of the things that really sets us apart from other teams is how strong we are in our values and what we stand for."

The former Lioness goalkeeper was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2023 - an honour she called 'incredible.' In May 2024, she received an MBE from Prince William.

Also in May, Earps dramatically retired from international football ahead of this year's Euros in Switzerland. Sarina Wiegman's side went on to retain the trophy, with Hannah Hampton playing a key role in their success.