Mary Earps becomes instant World Cup hero despite loss after hilarious rant: 'F*** off!'

Spain were awarded a spot kick after a VAR review, when Keira Walsh was deemed to have given away a handball.

In what appeared to be a harsh decision, referee Tori Penso spent a long time reviewing the incident before penalising England.

After expertly reading the direction of Jennifer Hermoso's kick, Earps safely collected the ball.

As cheers broke out around the ground, Earps quickly got to her feet, urged her players to get up the pitch and started swearing.

Repeatedly screaming "f*** off" she started waving the rest of the England team to push up the field.

At a screening of the final at the Olympic Park in east London, Matt Payne, 40, of Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, said: “It was a brilliant save really, you always had the suspicion she was going to save it.

“She has been one of the best keepers in the tournament. It wasn’t the best penalty but she still had to make the save to keep us in the game.

Speaking at Bristol’s Ashton Gate Stadium, Bethany Coomber, 16, added: “Mary Earps should be player of the match and given an award for the best moment of the tournament.”

Meanwhile, a fan zone in Victoria park in east London erupted as Mary Earps saved a penalty in the World Cup final.

Fans were straight on their feet embracing and cheering as the England keeper saved the ball, waking up the subdued crowd.

Despite losing the final, Earps was awarded the Golden Glove medal at the end of the match in recognition of her quality throughout the tournament.

After the match, former England goalkeeper David Seaman was among those to praise Earps for her performance.

He tweeted: “What a spectacular women’s World Cup and what a tournament @maryearps027 has had!!

“SOOO proud of the #Lionesses.”