England head coach Sarina Wiegman has responded to revelations in Mary Earps’ autobiography by saying she “picks teams to win” and would not have handled the situations with Earps and Hannah Hampton differently.
In All In, Earps, the former England No 1, wrote that she told Wiegman she was effectively rewarding “bad behaviour” by bringing Hampton back into the Lionesses squad in 2023. Earps says Hampton’s conduct behind the scenes during England’s Euro 2022 triumph “had frequently risked derailing training sessions and team resources.” According to Earps, when Wiegman raised the prospect of reintegrating Hampton she told Earps it “didn’t make me feel comfortable.” That sequence of events ultimately led Earps to announce her shock international retirement ahead of Euro 2025.
When Wiegman named her final Lionesses squad of 2025, it was the first time she spoke publicly about Earps’ book. Her press conference was dominated by questions about the fallout. Wiegman stressed that she and the staff have regular conversations with players and that people can experience situations differently. “What I want to do is create an environment when we speak up, where I give clarity and always communicate with players where it’s necessary,” she said. “I make decisions to win. We have two incredible goalkeepers in the goalkeeper group — and we have more good goalkeepers. In the end, I made the decision to the one I came to.”
Wiegman reiterated that she enjoyed working with Earps and cherished their time together. Asked whether the way the goalkeeper situation was handled would have been different in hindsight, she said the coaching team is thorough and that the goalkeeper unit was strong and competitive. “I think I would have done exactly the same thing,” she added, noting they kept communicating and tried to support everyone. She acknowledged there are always learnings but did not see a change needed in the “bigger picture.”
Wiegman said she has not spoken to Earps since the autobiography was published but has been in contact with Hampton, as part of routine communication with players. She confirmed Hampton is currently injured and unable to join camp. Wiegman also noted the intense media and social media scrutiny players face, and said managing those pressures is part of modern international football.
What Earps wrote
Earps’ account details how, after Euro 2022 and a run to the 2023 World Cup final, Wiegman restored Hampton to the squad in April 2024 and informed Earps that Hampton would be No 1 for now. Earps wrote she felt both relief and disappointment on hearing the decision: “I had 30 seconds to say my piece… I told her I wasn’t surprised by what she’d just said… I just think you could have been more direct and honest from the jump.” According to Earps, Wiegman responded that she always communicates openly and that the decision had only just been made — a reply Earps described as “b********” and said led her to announce she would retire from international duty.
Earps wrote that she later reversed that decision after a conversation with Wiegman before PSG’s league semi-final play-off in May, telling Wiegman she would continue. But she said a later remark from Wiegman — that she hadn’t watched a match Earps had won — made Earps feel the relationship lacked commitment, and after the Champions League final she decided again to retire. Earps describes calling Wiegman to tell her: “I can’t do it.” Wiegman’s single-word reply, “Wow,” and her follow-up — “I’m so disappointed. What made you change your mind?” — convinced Earps she had been truthful about never really having wanted to continue.
After Earps’ final decision, Hampton played a pivotal role as England beat Spain to win the Euros in the summer, saving two penalties in the final. In September, Earps appeared on stage to present Hampton with the inaugural women’s Yashin Trophy for her club and international performances.
Wiegman’s fuller remarks
In the press conference, Wiegman emphasised she keeps private conversations private and that maintaining trust through confidentiality is important. She admitted it is disappointing when private conversations are made public but said she focuses on preparing the team: selecting squads, analysing opponents and matches, and getting ready for upcoming fixtures, including games at Wembley and in Southampton.
On whether the episode could cause division, Wiegman said she was not worried. Team dynamics always exist and she keeps her door open to conversations, believing getting to know players helps the staff support them on and off the pitch. She acknowledged the situation was hard for Hampton given the media attention, but stressed that dealing with scrutiny is now part of being a high-profile international player.
Wiegman concluded she will continue to communicate clearly, select what she believes is the best team to compete, and learn from every situation while focusing on preparing the squad for future matches.