England and Manchester United Women goalkeeper Mary Earps wins Sports Personality of the Year

Manchester United Women and England goalkeeper Mary Earps has won BBC Sports Personality of the Year to become the second female footballer to win the award.

Euro 2022 champion Earps has become a household name after starring at this year’s World Cup, in which she saved a penalty in the final. The 30-year-old follows 2022 winner and Lionesses teammate Beth Mead in being given the honour.

Earps becomes the third Manchester United player to get her hands on the trophy after Ryan Giggs in 2009 and David Beckham in 2001. She becomes the 15th female athlete to win the UK’s most coveted sports award.

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The 70th edition of the annual awards ceremony comprised a shortlist of six nominees which included golfer Rory McIlroy, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, wheelchair tennis star Alfie Hewett, jockey Frankie Dettori and cricketer Stuart Broad.

The year 2023 has been meteoric for Earps, who was named FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year in February before winning England Player of the Year in September. She has also picked up Sportswoman of the Year at the British Sports Journalism awards, the Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year and BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year.

She was further handed an honorary doctorate from Loughborough University for her contribution to sport last week.

Earps came within a whisker of lifting the World Cup with England in Australia this summer, playing every minute en route to the final where England were defeated 1-0 by Spain. She won the Golden Glove award for the most clean sheets at the tournament.

The shot-stopper will likely gain her 50th Lionesses cap in