By now, you’ll have met our brilliant Guest Editors, England footballers Millie Bright and Mary Earps.
Part of the groundbreaking Lionesses team who made history by winning the Euros last summer, not only have they made the call-up for this summer’s World Cup squad, but they’ve been asked to lead the team as Captain and Vice-Captain, too.
This year, the Lionesses are second favourites to win the tournament behind the United States and naturally, we’re all rooting for them. So, question: what are the football players like off the pitch? What makes them tick? And what’s something you might not know about them? All important need-to-knows, which is why, when I got the chance to sit down with the world-renowned athletes, I asked them all of that and more.
Keep scrolling to learn ten fun facts about this tournament’s Captain and Vice-Captain.
10 things you didn’t know about Millie Bright and Mary Earps, England Captain and Vice-Captain
1. They weren’t expecting to be made Captain and Vice-Captain
We were on set with Mary when she received her call-up for the England squad and you could feel the nervous energy in the room.
Speaking to Millie just a few weeks later, when it’s officially been announced that they’ll be Captain and Vice-Captain, she confirms that she “never expects anything.” “It’s the biggest honour, but representing your country and being captain is an even bigger honour, so I’m really grateful.”
2. They play different positions for rival teams
When not donning an England shirt, they both compete in the Women’s Super League – Millie for Chelsea and Mary for Manchester United. In May earlier this year, the two teams went head to head in the FA Cup final, with Chelsea scooping a 1-0 victory.
While Millie started playing football aged nine, the 29-year-old moved to Chelsea in 2014 and has been playing in defence for the team ever since. Prior to that, she’d played for Doncaster Belles and Leeds Ladies, being crowned Vauxhall England Young Player of the Year in 2016 and winning three league titles (in 2015, 2017/18, and 2019/20) and two FA Women’s Cups (in 2015 and 2017/18) with Chelsea.
Mary, on the other hand, is a professional goalkeeper who’s been playing football since she was eight. She’s been in goal for the likes of Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, Bristol and Reading in her time, and just last month was crowned Best Women’s Goalkeeper by FIFA, making her arguably the best goalkeeper of this year’s tournament.
3. Mary nearly quit football two years ago
That’s right – the 30-year-old considered leaving her profession after being dropped from the England squad back in 2021.
Reflecting that the move felt like a step back, she shared that pursing a career in professional football as a woman isn’t “all sunshine and rainbows.”
“I started playing for Doncaster when I was in school, and we got paid £25 a game, for 14 games a year. It’s not a lot of money and it certainly wasn’t a professional wage,” she explains.
She’s now making it her life mission to make goalkeeping accessible for all, regardless of age or gender. She’s currently in talks with Nike to get them to stock the England goalkeepers shirts in store for fans to buy (surprisingly, they’re not sold in retail stores alongside the other England kit).
4. Millie suffered her fair share of health scares
Millie suffered from pneumonia aged just eight days old. Throughout her childhood and teenage years, she continued to experience whooping cough and asthma attacks that resulted in her being picked up in an ambulance “several times a week,” she told The Daily Mail.
“Eventually I had a steroid machine at home to help me but before I was old enough for that I had to get an ambulance whenever I was having an attack in the night,” Bright shared in 2018.
It’s clear the calm, level-headed athlete has channelled these earlier setbacks into motivation, with her career going from strength to strength in recent years.
5. Off the pitch, they prefer different cardio
If they had to choose between running or cycling, they didn’t hesitate to share that they’re actually both fans of different sports.
While Mary’s go-to cardio is running, Millie’s more of a fan of cycling.
@1maryearps
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6. They both have personal match day mantras
This one’s probably no surprise – it’s a well-known fact that athletes have motivational mantras banked to pep themselves up come game day.
Wondering what works for the Lionesses leading the England squad this year? While Mary reassures herself to “go and give it your best shot,” Millie’s is an even simpler two words: “Dream big.”
They’re also fans of pizza, pasta and proper relaxation post-game to boost recovery.
7. They’re both fans of traveling
While they haven’t had much chance to do so in the last two years, both athletes are fans of exploring and seeing the world.
Recently, they’ve travelled to Italy and Greece – when they have time off from training, that is.
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8. Mary has some pretty impressive party tricks
Fun fact for you: Mary can pick up an apple using just her biggest two toes.
Not just that, but she has a black belt in judo. Multi-faceted? You bet she is.
9. Millie’s favourite movies are comedy
That’s right, the defender is a fan of movies that make her laugh. Her all-time favourite movie? Step Brothers, the 2008 comedy from Adam McKay starring John C. Reilly and Will Ferrell as two feuding step-brothers.
Mary’s is a classic – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
@1maryearps
♬ original sound – Mary Earps
10. They reckon they stand a good chance of winning the Women’s World Cup
Naturally, we’re all rooting for them – the pressure’s on more than ever after they won last year’s Euros final during extra time.
But what do the Captain and Vice-Captain reckon their chances are? “We will always do everything we can to win,” Millie shares. “But winning is never easy – if it was, everyone would do it.”
That said, they’re confident in the team and ready to face anything, shares the Lioness. “Hopefully we can do the country proud.”
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