Earps 'honoured and humbled' to win SPOTY
Manchester United Women goalkeeper Mary Earps says she is very honoured and humbled to be named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2023.
After an inspirational 12 months, both on and off the pitch, Mary was crowned the winner of the prestigious award at the annual ceremony on Tuesday evening, held at MediaCityUK in Salford.
Our keeper pipped cricketer Stuart Broad (second) and athlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson (third) to the prize, via a public vote, and proudly collected the accolade on the main stage before addressing those in the audience – including her parents – with an emotional acceptance speech.
Earps named Sports Personality of the Year
ArticleMary has emulated two United greats by winning the prestigious BBC award.
“I think sport is a fantastic thing where it brings the world together and to hear you guys talk and to hear your journeys, I just think it’s unbelievable so congratulations to you all.
“Also, thanks for voting for me, everybody who voted for me. I should have probably started with that one.
“Thank you very much, I’m very honoured and humbled. I feel like this is the ultimate all-round sporting accolade and I think us, as Lionesses and United as well, we’ve had an incredible couple of years, but this is just… wow.
“It’s not been the easiest journey and I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without a number of incredible people in my corner, so finally I just want to say thank you to them.
“I am so glad I could bring some of my loved ones with me today - I’m not going to look at them directly in the eye because that will get a bit much - who have been with me through the really, really not-so-great times and the last two years [which] have been absolutely unbelievable.
“I’ve done more than I could ever imagine and, for that, I’m truly incredibly grateful so thank you very much, and to Ian Willcock and Darren Ward, who are my goalkeeper coaches, who are here tonight as well.
“So, again thank you so much to my team-mates, my coaches, I wouldn’t be here without you all. I don’t know what else to say so I’m going to get off the stage before I get the boot from Gary Lineker!”
"It's not been the easiest journey and I wouldn't be where I am without a number of incredible people in my corner."
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 19, 2023
Mary Earps thanks her support network as she wins the BBC Sports Personality of the year award.#BBCSPOTY pic.twitter.com/oZKHR55BQB
MADE UP FOR YOU, MEARPS!
The United goalkeeper has received an outpouring of admiration and support since receiving her prize on Tuesday evening, with broadcasters, former players, team-mates and more all reaching out to extend their congratulations.
Below is a collection of posts from the world of sport on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), following the news of Mary’s latest honour.
Ella Toone: class Mazzzzzaaaa ❤ Very proud!! @1maryearps
Millie Turner: Never in doubt. Gran will be happy hey Mearps 🥰 Congratulations! @1maryearps
Nikita Parris: Unreal 👏🏾👏🏾 So proud
Aoife Mannion: 🙌🙌🙌 WOW
Katie Zelem: 👏👏👏👏
Gabby George: 👏👏👏
Phallon Tullis-Joyce: Congrats!!! 🎉🎉🎉
Emma Watson: Congrats Mary 👏🏻🙌🏻
Gemma Evans: Unreal 👏🏻
Mason Mount: History Maker! Congrats @1maryearps 👏🏻
David Beckham: Congratulations @1maryearps 👏🏼
Jermaine Jenas: One of our own!!! Well done you ❤️
Lauren Hemp: YESSSS MARYYYY❤️❤️
Jamie Redknapp: Englands number 1 England , Englands number 1 …
Jade Moore: Smashing 🔥❤️👏👏
Millie Bright: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
John Terry: @1maryearps Congratulations 🏆 👏🏻
The 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year is MARY EARPS!! 👏 👏#BBCSPOTY pic.twitter.com/Z99Nn9NSF8
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 19, 2023
Mary Queen of SPOTY 🏆#MUWomen || #BBCSPOTY pic.twitter.com/sOjkKGNUJr
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) December 19, 2023
Huge congratulations to #Lionesses & Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps who is the 2023 #BBCSPOTY 🤩🏆
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) December 19, 2023
Earps is the second successive women's footballer to win the award and the third woman to win it in a row - the first time that's happened since the 1960s 👏#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/c9ln6SdsfW
A true inspiration, on and off the pitch ❤️
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) December 19, 2023
Mary Earps - the 2023 BBC Sports Personality of the Year winner! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mzv2fn1izf
🔥 MEARPS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XDKEMtdMiH
— Lionesses (@Lionesses) December 19, 2023
MY HERO!!!!!! SPOTY 2023 WINNER MARY EARPS 🥳❤️
— Beth Mead MBE (@bmeado9) December 19, 2023
She got my vote! Congratulations Mary Earps!!! A #Lioness wins #BBCSPOTY for 2nd year in a row! And 3rd year in a row it's been a woman. https://t.co/UDHtGeIUGL
— Faye White (@faye_white) December 19, 2023
Huge congratulations to #BBCSPOTY winner Mary Earps 🌟💜 pic.twitter.com/JBiNHoc0ax
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) December 19, 2023
Mary Earps wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2023 🏆🏴
— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) December 20, 2023
Congratulations on an amazing year 👏 #BBCSPOTY pic.twitter.com/DOdpOtNt9Q
Mary Earps... that's it, that's the tweet 🤩
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) December 19, 2023
We had to bring back this legendary moment in honour of that well deserved #BBCSPOTY win 🏆 pic.twitter.com/bQvIec7zLD
Over the moon for Mary Earps 🏆
— Katie Shanahan (@KatieShanahan3) December 19, 2023
A wonderful person on & off the pitch. From nearly quitting international football to reaching a WC final & winning the Golden Glove. A sign of never giving up. A game changer in women’s sport & inspiring future GKs. Hugely deserved 🙌 #BBCSPOTY
Alumna @Maryearps1 wins BBC Sports personality of the year 2023 🏆
— Loughborough Sport (@LboroSport) December 20, 2023
The England goalkeeper had a stand out 2023 and was voted the best goalkeeper at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup ⚽️
Congratulations from everyone at @lborouniversity#WhereHistoryBeginshttps://t.co/OeLDrhtgw8
1 - Mary Earps has kept the most clean sheets in the WSL in 2023 (12), while only two goalkeepers prevented more goals than her at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup (+2.7), based on the quality of shots on target faced. Personality. pic.twitter.com/fJplW3uWfO
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 20, 2023
We all love Mary Earps 🤩🫶 pic.twitter.com/2z8Hr2rCfV
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) December 20, 2023
Congratulations Mary Earps on being crowned BBC Sports Personality Of The Year 2023. So well deserved. To every nominee, you should all be so proud of yourselves and your sporting achievements as we are of you. #MaryEarps #SPOTY #BBCSPOTY #SportsPersonalityOfTheYear @ManUtdWomen pic.twitter.com/yCCFEPi58e
— All On The Board (@allontheboard) December 19, 2023
Congrats to @ManUtd and @Lionesses goalkeeper, Mary Earps, on winning the 2023 Sports Personality of the Year 👏
— 50 Sport (@FiftyDigital) December 20, 2023
We loved working with @EnglandFootball to deliver the 'All The Way From' campaign on the Lionesses ahead of the World Cup this past summer ⚽️#BBCSPOTY #Lionesses pic.twitter.com/A73RhMhyRR
WIN A SIGNED EARPS SHIRT
To celebrate Mary's win, we are giving away a 2023/24 goalkeeping jersey that is signed by our no.27.
Enter the competition here, before it closes on 1 January 2024.