You only have to look at Earps’ individual accolades to appreciate her quality as a goalkeeper. A two-time Fifa women’s goalkeeper of the year, the golden glove winner at the 2023 World Cup, BBC Sports Personality of the Year – the list is endless.
She had to fight hard for the gloves on the international stage, making her debut against Switzerland in June 2017 but only earning a further seven caps over the next three years in the face of competition from Karen Bardsley, Carly Telford and fellow youngster Ellie Roebuck.
Wiegman’s arrival in 2021 proved a turning point, with Earps starting each of her first seven games in charge and going on to be ever present during Euro 2022, the 2023 World Cup – including a memorable penalty save to deny Jenni Hermoso in the final, and the 2023 Women’s Nations League.
However, since the beginning of 2024, Wiegman has favoured rotating her goalkeepers, selecting Hampton in six of England’s past 10 matches.
The pair traded places in friendlies against Austria, Italy, Germany and South Africa last year. Earps won the gloves for November’s much-anticipated meeting with the USA, keeping a clean sheet in the process, but was replaced by Hampton against Switzerland three days later.
Crucially, the Chelsea keeper, who has six clean sheets in 13 caps, has been selected in three of England’s four Women’s Nations League matches, including the win over world champions Spain.
Earps is, by far, the more experienced goalkeeper, earning 53 caps for England and keeping 26 clean sheets. And she’s been in good form since swapping Manchester United for Paris St-Germain last summer, conceding just 12 goals in 17 league outings.
However, Hampton is also enjoying an impressive campaign. Establishing herself as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper this season, she has conceded 13 goals in 18 WSL matches – a record bettered by only Manchester United’s Phallon Tullis-Joyce – and featured in their past three Women’s Champions League outings.
And with Hampton, who previously played for Birmingham City and Aston Villa, eight years younger than 32-year-old Earps, is this a sign that Wiegman and England are looking to the future?
