England Women goalkeeper Mary Earps has talked up the quality of her international teammates after they dominated the voting for the 2023 FIFPro Team of the Year at The Best FIFA awards on Monday.
Earps was handed the gloves in the star-studded side, one of seven Lionesses to be named in the XI after they reached the Women's World Cup final last year.
Sarina Wiegman's side were ultimately beaten by Spain in the final, but the world champions only saw two of their players named in the team of the year - Olga Carmona, who scored the winning goal in the final, and Aitana Bonmati, who was named The Best Women's Player at the awards in London.
USA's Alex Morgan and Australia's Samantha Kerr rounded off the team as the only two members who did not feature in the World Cup final.
However, it was England who stole the show despite their near miss in Australia and New Zealand, contributing the lion's share of a team voted the best in the world from August 1, 2022 to August 20, 2023.
✨ This is the 2023 FIFA FIFPRO Women's #World11, as chosen by players worldwide.@FIFAWWC | @FIFAcom | #TheBest pic.twitter.com/DYq0F2NAzJ
— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) January 15, 2024
Earps was also voted as The Best Women's Goalkeeper of the Year to make it a personal double for her, but the Manchester United shot-stopper was keen to praise the success of her teammates.
"The team is so incredibly talented, that's why there's so many Lionesses in the World XI," she told reporters after the ceremony.
"I'm incredibly privileged to be able to play football with them and work with them. They're a special, special group and long may it continue.
"It means a great deal. We share a lot of time together throughout the year, a lot of memories, a lot of blood, sweat and tears, so of course it's incredibly rewarding to see them also enjoying their successes and a massive congratulations to them for what they've achieved."
In addition to Earps, Alex Greenwood, Lucy Bronze, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh, Alessia Russo and Lauren James made the cut from Wiegman's side.
© Reuters
Wiegman herself was also named The Best Women's Coach of the Year to add further success to the night for England.
The FIFPro Team of the Year was voted for by over 28,000 professional footballers from 69 countries, with each player choosing their top three players in each position, and the players with the most votes overall making it into the XI.
Earps's inclusion saw her end Christiane Endler's three-year run of being named in goal for the team, while she claimed the Goalkeeper of the Year award for the second time in a row.
Keira Walsh was named in the team of the year for a second time, while Bronze and Morgan both earned nominations for the sixth time in their careers, leaving them just one short of Wendie Renard's record.
Barney Corkhill
