Manchester United and England goalkeeper Mary Earps has been named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2023.
Earps finished ahead of cricketer Stuart Broad, heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson, wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewitt, jockey Frankie Dettori and golfer Rory McIlroy.
She becomes the second women’s footballer to win the award in as many years after Beth Mead’s success in 2022. Mead was the first women’s footballer to be named Sports Personality of the Year in the award’s then 67-year history.
Earps joins an esteemed list of former winners which includes Andy Murray, Mo Farah, Kelly Holmes, Virginia Wade, David Beckham and Bobby Moore.
Earps won the Golden Glove at the 2023 Women’s World Cup as England reached the final for the first time. She kept three clean sheets during the tournament and saved a Jenni Hermoso penalty in the final, but could not prevent the Lionesses losing 1-0 to Spain.
The 30-year-old also finished fifth in the Ballon d’Or and was named England’s player of the year.
Domestically, Earps won the Women’s Super League golden glove after keeping a league record 14 clean sheets in 22 appearances as Manchester United finished second — their highest top flight finish to qualify for the Champions League for the first time.
She also…
