Mary Earps has revealed David de Gea ’s touching messages of support throughout the Euros.
England keeper Earps produced a string of heroic saves to book the Lionesses place in the final at Wembley on Sunday. Her best was a remarkable tip-over in the second half and her Manchester United club mate de Gea was in touch straight after the game with a congratulatory text.
United keeper Earps, 29, has been superb through the tournament, she has helped to banish outdated cliches about female goalkeepers and is now dreaming of Euros glory. Harry Maguire, the United captain, was at Bramall Lane for the semi final and she has also had huge support from de Gea throughout the tournament.
Earps said: “Me and David speak a little bit. He's just messaged me saying congratulations. We message back and forth about results and clean sheets and stuff so that's always nice to have his support.”
Spain keeper de Gea is renowned for his reflex saves with his legs and Earps produced something similar to stop England going behind within 22 seconds. “I'll take that comparison, no problem at all,” she smiled. “But I think obviously I work really, really hard on the training pitch and I just want to be as prepared as possible when I'm going into a game.
“Whenever I'm on the pitch I just want to be as focused as I can be, do my job to the best of my ability, that's so far. Whether it's 22 seconds, 22 minutes or 22 years into a game, I just always want to be on my best game.
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“But to be honest with you I just love football and I watch as much football as I can. I watch a lot of the Premier League and I watch goalkeepers all over the world.
“I think it's really important as a keeper that you develop your own style because not everything works. You might see something on TV but it may or may not work for you; everyone's built differently, we have different strengths. I think it's just about trying to give your all, work towards your strengths and put in your best performance every week.”
Earps was third choice keeper at the last World Cup in 2019 but has worked hard, improved and established herself as No1. But Earps insists that they must now seize the moment and write their names into English football history as they prepare for Sunday’s final.
Earps said: “One game to go. We've put ourselves in this position, we've earned the right to be in the final. We've worked really hard together and we've got a really good group. We've got another game, it's not done yet but so, so happy that we've made it to the final.
“I think we've been working towards this for a long time. I think we've been really good throughout the tournament but there's still another game today. We're just enjoying it at the minute.
“I'm absolutely loving playing for this team, it's an absolute privilege. I love playing at this level, it's such a fantastic feeling. I feel the team have been amazing and I'm just so proud I can be a part of it.
“I want to help the team in any way that I can and whatever way I'm needed – hopefully I'm never needed in a game because that means the girls and doing unbelievably in front of me – but when I am needed I want to be there and I want to give my absolute all.
“I think it's also important in terms of making sure we stay focused. I have absolutely no doubt that the way England are as a nation that they'll be fully behind us.
“That support is really what we want, we want to inspire, we want to do the job to the best of our ability and inspire through our performances. Hopefully we've done that.”
