England goalkeeper Mary Earps has become the first professional female footballer to have a wax figure at Madame Tussauds London.
Members of the public voted for the 31-year-old to be added to the attraction after the Lionesses’ success in reaching the final of the 2023 World Cup and winning the 2022 European Championships.
Earps, who was vice-captain at the World Cup and received the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper of the tournament, said it was “a great feeling” to be recognised.
“It’s a special feeling to be a trailblazer. I think it’s something that means a lot to me,” she said.
“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.”
Earps signed for Paris Saint-Germain last month on a free transfer after her exit from Manchester United after five years at the club.
The Nottingham-born footballer said it was “a bizarre one” that members of the public had voted for her, but hopes the rest of her teammates will soon have their own wax figures at Madame Tussauds.
“As Lionesses, one of the things that really sets us apart from other teams is how strong we are in our values and what we stand for,” she said.
“I think we’re really big on trying to inspire as many people as possible – young, old, all ages, all genders – and I think this is another extension of that, and we’re constantly trying to break barriers and push boundaries.”
Earps’ waxwork can be seen from the autumn. The goalkeeper said she is most excited for her family to see it for the first time, particularly her grandmother who she joked may feel uneasy seeing her wax likeness.
“I think that will be a real special moment for [my gran]. I’m not sure how she’ll feel about there being two of me in the world, but we’re about to find out.”
Earps, who was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2023, was awarded an MBE for her services to football in May.
She has also played for Leicester, Nottingham Forest, Doncaster Rovers, Birmingham City, Bristol Academy, Reading and Wolfsburg.
Jo Kinsey, the studio manager at Madame Tussauds, said: “Mary Earps is a superstar who commits to excellence both on and off the pitch.
“From winning the nation’s heart to winning the nation’s vote, it was truly delightful having the opportunity to work with her for her first ever figure. Mary really got stuck in with the creative process, even helping with carving out the clay in the initial stages.”