It is almost impossible to watch Mary Earps at her best and not wish that you could somehow be just as skillful and composed as she is.
The Lionesses‘ No.1 has changed the face of goalkeeping since bursting onto the scene as England’s preferred starter in 2021.
She was nothing short of heroic in England’s Euro 2022 historic victory, also saving a crucial penalty in their 2023 Finalissima victory over Brazil.
And who could forget her penalty save in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final against Spain (as well as her memorable reaction)?
Back in February 2023, she told The Telegraph: “I really want young kids to view goalkeeping as something they want to get involved in, and that it’s cool, it’s fun and it’s important.”
And she has done just that.
Sunderland goalkeeper Claudia Moan told talkSPORT that the influence Earps has had on the sport is immense.
She said: “Because of Mary Earps and the success she’s had at the Euros and at the World Cup, I think more people who are wanting to get into football – there’s more people who want to be goalkeepers which is great to see because who would want a ball to be smashed at them?
“But Mary Earps is on the big stage and she’s showing people why you want that!”
And now, Moan is making goalkeeping ‘cool’ in her own right.
Moan signed her first professional contract with Sunderland at the start of the season[/caption]
Crystal Palace were promoted to the WSL on the final day of the league[/caption]
But Sunderland had put themselves in a good position to contend for promotion too[/caption]
The Sunderland keeper was not only awarded the Golden Glove in the Women’s Championship, but she was also named as the Player of the Season.
She was up against fellow nominees Crystal Palace’s Elise Hughes, Sheffield United’s Isobel Goodwin and Southampton’s Katie Wilkinson for the Player of the Season award.
And she explained why the award came as such a shock.
“Out of the four nominations for Player of the Season, I was against three strikers,” she said. “And I thought it’s going to be hard to get just because it’s normally the strikers that take all the credit.
“But for me to come out with it, I’m really, really chuffed!”
Moan kept ten clean sheets in Sunderland’s 22 league games – a record which contributed to her side finishing third in the Championship, two spots off promotion to the WSL.
That honour was eventually given to Crystal Palace, who will compete with the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal in the top flight next season.
But Sunderland’s progress this season has been remarkable – from finishing 11th out of 12 in the 2022/23 season, they have looked a transformed team.
And Moan believes that WSL football might not be too far away.
“We all think why not finish first place next season?” she said. “There’s no reason for us to shy away from that. I think we’ve proved ourselves this season massively.
“Myself – obviously, I would love to get the Golden Glove again! But I would love to play in the WSL.”
The 25-year-old credits German international Manuel Neuer as her childhood role-model and says it was watching him play on the international stage that encouraged her to pursue her own career.
“I was already a goalkeeper but that inspiration of him made me think I always want to do this. I always want to put the hard work in,” she said.
Moan signed her first professional contract with Sunderland in July 2023 – part of a growing push across the Women’s Championship to make the entire league professional eventually, in line with Karen Carney’s recommendations from her 2023 review into women’s football.
And Moan explained how it had been a dream come true and something that had helped her to realise her hopes of making her passion for goalkeeping into her livelihood.
She said: “I’ve never wanted to do another career apart from playing football full-time. Maybe actually be an animal-keeper – but apart from that!
“That wasn’t possible but because I played football, I couldn’t see why being a full-time professional football player couldn’t be possible.
“It’s happened and it’s my home club. Who wouldn’t want to play professional football for their home club?”
You can tune into talkSPORT’s Women’s Football Show on talkSPORT 2 on Mondays from 7pm.