Mary Earps and Fran Kirby Retire, Millie Bright Withdraws From Euros Selection
It has been quite a week for Sarina Weigman and the Lionesses with the shock news that Mary Earps and Fran Kirby have decided to retire from international football. The experienced England players have announced their retirement with just a month to go before the Women’s Euros in Switzerland kicks off.
While Fran Kirby’s decision is though to be based on the understanding that she was not going to be picked, Mary Earps would certainly have been included in the squad. Earps was one of the heroes of England’s Euros campaign when they lifted the trophy in 2022 and she won the SPOTY in 2023.
Mary Earps and Fran Kirby retire – Read on for more news.
Why Did Mary Earps Retire?
Chelsea’s Hannah Hampton has been favoured as Wiegman’s first choice number one recently, leading to Earps reflecting on the situation. In an Instragram post, she shared:
“I have taken the difficult decision to retire internationally. It has been the greatest honour and privilege of my life, to wear this badge, represent my country and play alongside such an incredible group of players.
I’ve spent a long time making this decision and it’s not one I’ve made lightly. For me, ultimately this is the right time for me to step aside and give the younger generation an opportunity to thrive.”
Earps’ retirement leaves England significantly lacking in experience in the goalkeeping ranks. Neither Khiara Keating nor Anna Moorhouse have represented England at senior level.
Fran Kirby Hangs Up Her Boots for England
Fran Kirby earned the nickname Mini Messi when she first burst onto the international stage. She amassed 77 appearances for England, memorably starring in the World Cup 2015 when England finished third.
However, Kirby has struggled with injuries for much of her career. After falling out of the pecking order at Chelsea, she moved to Brighton and Hove Albion at beginning of the WSL 2024/25 season, scoring 7 goals in 17 matches. Unfortunately, Kirby’s form in the WSL was hampered by an injury that caused her to miss the Nations League match for England against Belgium in April.
Millie Bright Withdraws from Selection
Another huge miss for the Lionesses will be Millie Bright, who captained the Lionesses in the World Cup 2023 in the absence of injured Leah Williamson.
Bright announced her decision to withdraw from Euro 2025 selection prior the the squad being released on Thursday 5 June.
In her Daly Brightness podcast with Rachel Daly, she spoke in more details about her decision