Mary Earps exclusive: 'I really want to push myself out of my comfort zone'

"I’m really excited to start this new chapter," a smiling Mary Earps explains sitting pitch-side at Paris Saint-Germain’s state-of-the-art training campus.

The 31-year-old is embarking on a new life in the French capital after spending five seasons at Manchester United, having established herself as a role model for thousands of girls with her outstanding on-field performances, gritty determination and confidence to call out inequality.

Earps is widely regarded as one of the best in the business for good reason. Twice named the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper, she played a crucial role in England’s historic European Championship success in 2022 and was again a prominent figure when the Lionesses reached the final of the Women’s World Cup 12 months later.

The quality of Earps’ displays saw her named BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2023 and England Women’s Player of the Year – an indicator of just how high her stock has risen since making her professional debut for Doncaster Rovers as a teenager back in 2011.

In May, Earps lifted her first piece of silverware with United, winning the Women’s FA Cup following a 4-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, in what turned out to be her final appearance for the club.

The decision to leave United after an "incredible five years" wasn’t one that Earps took lightly, but the chance to experience a new challenge and get out of her "comfort zone" by joining PSG was ultimately what swayed her to move on to pastures new.

"I think for me, it was a tough decision," Earps exclusively tells 90min, reflecting on a stressful period. "It was something I went backwards and forwards on for a long time.

"It’s not easy to leave a place that you’ve been for a long time, and have incredible memories with incredible people. I felt like this move to PSG was going to take me out of my comfort zone. It was going to add something to me as a player and a person. I feel the team is one of the best in Europe without a shadow of a doubt. I’m hoping that I can come in and help, so the quality will be strong enough to really compete for trophies and titles.

"I’ve had an incredible five years, but I’m excited for this new challenge. The facilities here are unbelievable, as you’ve seen, and I’m really looking forward to getting started."

Earps made her debut for PSG against rivals Le Havre earlier this week, in a game last season’s Champions League semi-finalists won 4-0, and she will now jet off to Australia as the club take part in the Perth International Cup.

She hopes that the experience will help her grow as an individual, settling into a new environment while coming to terms with the reality of moving away from home.

"During the tour, I want to develop as a player and a person," Earps says. "I really want to try and take another step. I feel like I’ve got more in my locker and I want to really push myself out of my comfort zone.

"First and foremost, I want to settle into the team and help them wherever I can. I want to add some experience, play good football and enjoy it.

"It’s not easy to leave everything you’ve ever known, your family, friends and roots behind. I went home last weekend and it was only a 45-minute flight, which definitely helps as it’s not easy to leave home.

"I think this is especially hard when you are an experienced player, it’s different when you are younger. It wasn’t like when I went to Wolfsburg, there were a lot more considerations. I felt like this time around, the move was going to bring the best out of me and help maximise my potential and PSG was the best place for me to do that."

Walking around the campus, it’s evident that Earps is acclimatising quickly to her new surroundings, joking with her teammates and staff members by attempting to respond in French – something she feels is vital in terms of integration.

"I’m working on my French and I’ll start lessons when I’m back from Australia, but I’m trying," she giggles. "All I can do is make the effort, but at the moment I need five working days to come up with a reply.

"When I was in Germany, I worked really hard to learn the language. I think it’s really important to make the effort in the country that you are in. I’ve always loved languages, and can understand a bit from Spanish at school.

"I’ve been so impressed by the city itself. The weather and architecture is beautiful and there’s so much to see and do. I’m not based in the middle of nowhere or in a remote location which helps."

Tune in to 90min's YouTube channel to watch our interview with Mary Earps in full.

With Euro 2025 also on the horizon, it’s an incredibly exciting time for Earps. The Lionesses have battled to secure their place in Switzerland, where they will again be regarded as one of the favourites to win the tournament despite the standard of competition improving year on year.

The challenge of coming up against the very best is one Earps continues to relish, who makes no secret of her ambitions for more success.

"I feel ready to win more trophies," she explains. "The competition is getting tougher and tougher every year. I think you can see that around the world, especially at the Olympics. I don’t really think people go into games as out and out favourites anymore.

"It makes those competitions even more exciting and hopefully even better to watch. It’s definitely even better to be a part of because as a player, you want to be your best and you want to play against the best, and beat the best.

"We are going to be on our A-game. We are going to have to prepare right, as both individuals and a team. I’m really looking forward to it."

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