Mary Earps has said she feels sexist criticism online is sadly 'what people across the country think' while indirectly responding to Joey Barton.
The England and Manchester United goalkeeper enjoyed a stellar 2023, shining for both club and country as she established herself as one of the best goalkeepers on the planet.
Earps was recognised at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards back in December, claiming the prize ahead of cricket icon Stuart Broad.
Barton was among those to initially congratulate the 30-year-old.
Mary Earps has responded after criticism from Joey Barton and trolls online
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However, he then seemingly U-turned and ranted about Earps, 'snowflakes' and people 'jumping on the bandwagon'.
The England goalkeeper has now indirectly addressed the criticism from Barton and other users online.
And she's said the 'biggest disappointment' to her is that she finds the comments are reflective of the country as a whole.
Speaking to Women's Health, and referencing comments on a video about Emma Hayes, she said: "Sport is a vehicle for change, but it's also a representation of society.
"The comments on that [a video of Hayes speaking] are really telling.
"This isn't just what one person thinks, this is what people across the country think - probably in the world.
"And that's the biggest disappointment to me."
Earps then said she found it difficult to respond to comments because aggressive responses, in her eyes, don't achieve anything.
"I'm not sure an aggressive response actually helps our cause," she added.
"That's the irony of the whole situation and I think anyone who's a woman knows that; it's not just football.
"I don't think there are many women in the world that will have not experienced sexism and misogyny of some kind."
Barton was nothing short of brutal when he responded to Earps' BBC SPOTY award win.
He said at the time: "To win before Ronnie O’Sullivan and Frankie Dettori…?
"Well, that’s just madness to me. Both almost genius like in their respective fields.
"They’ve lost to a big sack of spuds that plays in goal for a girls team.
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Mary Earps won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award back in December
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"That’s the world we live in. This all started with the ‘Everyone’s a Winner’ sport’s days.
"This is what happens when you celebrate mediocre. You breed this weak culture. A culture of losers.
"A culture of snowflakes."
Barton has also stirred controversy by targeting Eni Aluko, too.
Aluko recently said she had fled the country after Barton had dubbed her and Lucy Ward the 'Fred and Rose West of football commentary'.
Mary Earps had a stellar 2023 for club and country as she starred for Man Utd and England
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ITV Sport then proceeded to release a statement criticising the former Manchester City midfielder for his comments.
"For Joey Barton, an ex-professional player with a significant social media presence, to target two of our pundits, Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, with such vindictive remarks based on gender and to invoke the names of serial killers in doing so is clearly contemptible and shameful on his part," they wrote.
"Football is for everyone."
Barton has continued to rage online.
And reports say the 41-year-old has been blacklisted by football clubs as a result of his controversial opinions.
