The Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Mary Earps has disclosed for the first time that she is in a relationship with her girlfriend, Kitty.
The 31-year-old former England international shares details about her personal life in her forthcoming memoir "All In", scheduled for release on 6 November.
Earps, who retired from international duty earlier this year, described herself as being in a "really happy relationship".
The revelation marks a significant moment for the goalkeeper who has previously maintained strict boundaries between her private and professional life.
Mary Earps retired from England duty earlier this year
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The autobiography will offer readers unprecedented insight into the personal life of one of women's football's most prominent figures.
In a statement, Earps explained: "I've always tried to keep my personal life separate from my professional one, but it would have felt inauthentic not to include something so important to me in this book. I'm in a really happy relationship."
The goalkeeper added: "The people closest to me have always known, and I feel ready and happy to share that with everyone else now."
According to reports, the former Lionesses vice-captain recently confided in her international team-mates about her relationship and received encouragement and support from them.
This marks the first time Earps has publicly discussed her personal life in such detail.
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Mary Earps was recently invited to the state banquet between the UK and France
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Earps enjoyed a distinguished career with England, playing a crucial role in the team's European Championship triumph in 2022 under Sarina Wiegman.
She maintained her position as first-choice goalkeeper throughout the 2023 World Cup campaign, where the Lionesses finished as runners-up to Spain.
Her exceptional performances earned her the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in 2023, which she described as an "incredible" experience.
Earlier this year, Prince William presented her with an MBE in recognition of her contributions to football.
Following a successful five-year stint at Manchester United, where she secured an FA Cup victory, Earps joined PSG in summer 2024.
LGBTQ+ organisations have welcomed the announcement, with British LGBT Awards founder Sarah Garrett describing Earps as "a hero and inspirational role model to young women and girls all over the world".
The goalkeeper has previously emphasised her commitment to pioneering change in football.
In an August 2024 interview, she stated: "I'm a very ambitious person, a very hard-working person, and I think to try and push boundaries and try and be a pioneer for change, in many ways, is something that I really enjoy doing, and hopefully I can do for the rest of my career."
Women's football features significantly more openly LGBTQ+ players than the men's game, with over 40 openly lesbian or bisexual players participating in the 2023 Women's World Cup.