- England star Earps wins illustrious honour
- Award recognises most outstanding goalkeeper in women’s game from 7 August 2021 to 31 July 2022
- Winner revealed at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2022 in Paris
Mary Earps has been crowned as The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper 2022. Earps was one of England’s standout players as the nation won the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.
She has also been a consistently impressive performer for club side Manchester United. The award was voted for by national team coaches and captains as well as expert journalists and supporters worldwide.
Earps topped the poll ahead of Chelsea’s Ann-Katrin Berger and Lyon stopper Christiane Endler.
The winner in focus
Earps’ dominant performances at Women’s EURO 2022 underlined her status as one of the finest goalkeepers in the game.
The 29-year-old’s sharp reflexes, command of her penalty area and impressive distribution skills all came to the fore during England’s triumphant campaign.
Earps played every minute of the tournament for the Lionesses – keeping four clean sheets and conceding just two goals.
Earps’ exceptional form has also been a key reason behind club side Manchester United’s emergence as a genuine force in the Women’s Super League. She kept 10 clean sheets in 22 WSL matches for United last season.
Earps’ standout moments
Earps’ consistent excellence laid the foundation for England’s EURO success. Her immaculate form during the competition was recognised with a place in the Team of the Tournament.
Earps celebrated England’s triumph in some style, gate-crashing head coach Sarina Wiegman’s post-final press conference and enjoying a singalong with her jubilant team-mates.
Earps’ influence in Manchester United’s growth, meanwhile, was highlighted by this compilation of her best saves from the 2021/22 season.
What they said about Earps…
“You always knew Mary had something. It’s her athleticism, her focus, she’s just that rock. She is, in my estimation, one of the best in the world – if not, the best. She’s resolute, resilient and she’s just got a brilliant aura about her. I run out of superlatives for her.” Marc Skinner, Manchester United Women manager
“Mary fits what [England head coach] Sarina Wiegman needs for a goalkeeper. She’s very consistent, very vocal and she dominates and organises her backline. She’s now the best version of Mary Earps that anyone has ever seen.” Rachel Brown-Finnis, former England Women goalkeeper
“She’s definitely someone I look up to, with where she’s taken herself to in the last couple of years and the success that she’s had. We have a good dynamic and I’ve always worked well with her.” Emily Ramsey, fellow Manchester United Women goalkeeper
How The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper winner was decided
- Six players were initially nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award, having been chosen by a panel of experts.
- From this shortlist, votes were cast by women’s national team coaches, women’s national team captains, football journalists, and fans who voted on FIFA’s official website. Voters made their first, second and third choices for the winner.
- Points were given to nominees depending on where they were placed (five points for first, three for second and one for third).
- Nominated national team captains could not vote for themselves.
- Selections from the four voting groups – coaches, captains, journalists, and fans – each counted for 25 per cent of the total vote, irrespective of the number of voters from each group.
- The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award was presented to the individual with the most points.
The voting procedure for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award was supervised by independent observers.
Source: FIFA.com
