SOCIAL media can be a powerful tool for a sports, when it is done right.
Lionesses hero Mary Earps is ticking all the boxes on that front.
The Sports Personality of the Year award nominee, 30, has had a remarkable year on the pitch.
Following up her displays at the Euros in 2022, she starred in England's World Cup campaign - memorably saving a penalty in the final with Spain before firing her teammates up with a series of expletives caught on camera.
But it's off the pitch where Man Utd star Mary is at her most endearing.
She is known as the 'TikTok Queen' among her peers, drawing more than 1million followers to her account thanks to her hilarious and heartwarming videos.
Sometimes, the hilarity is at the expense of her teammates...
The fall girl
Often, Earps ropes in pal Millie Bright for her TikToks.
Most recently, the goalie deputised for the Chelsea defender as captain.
Put a camera in front of them, and they are a comedy duo to be reckoned with.
Several of Mary's clips include the centre back.
Some of the most memorable include various dance routines the pair pull off in unison.
The one that gets us, though, is a game where you have to guess the song and sing along.
If you don't, the other player - standing behind you - will clatter you with a pillow.
Both Mary and Millie take considerable pleasure in whacking each other if they don't know the song.
It, strangely, makes for compelling viewing.
Clowning around
Mary is a model professional.
She has to work hard to become a permanent fixture for her country, when she was dropped by former England coach Phil Neville she fought hard to win her place back.
It was a moment that saw her consider retirement.
Thankfully, she didn't. And she is now one of the first names on the teamsheet.
Clearly, she also provides plenty of light relief in training - and isn't afraid to clown around.
Case in point, a recent training session with Utd saw her showing off her skills.
After pulling off a save, she runs to the camera to show off her face covered in bits of grass.
She captioned the clip: "When you're a goalkeeper and the groundsman has just cut the grass."
Beauty regime
One thing TikTok is famous for is beauty tips.
You can't move on the platform for make-up advice, skin care tips and the like.
Mary is, obviously, well aware of this.
So, in the only way she knows how, the football star filmed her own beauty regime.
First, she comically applied a face mask, then scrubbed her teeth with purple whitening toothpaste.
Earps then applies a cleanser, a booster, and an eye cream to get rid of dark circles, followed by a moisturiser.
All of this is brilliantly narrated by England star Jess Carter.
Success story
No doubt her biggest success in the game came in the summer of 2022.
England lifted the Euros, in front of home support at Wembley, against old rivals Germany.
It was a nail-biting game, with Mary proving resilient to the end.
After the game, as you can imagine, celebrations ran wild.
Leading the chorus of songs was Earps, with a medal around her neck, dancing in the changing room.
Various teammates join her in harmony during the momentous moment.
Of course, that clip is pinned and has been played a whopping 4.4million times by TikTok users.
Alessia's worst fears
Coming up an uncompromising centre half doesn't scare England forward Alessia Russo.
If anything, the Arsenal star is ready to mix it with the most physical of players.
However, she does have one fear that was exposed by Mary... turkeys.
During a recent England camp, the pair were taking a walk around their base when they stumbled upon a turkey in their path.
Frozen in fear, Alessia wouldn't go anywhere near it, prompting Mary to film the moment and narrate over the top of the clip: "Alessia is afraid of turkeys, everyone."
Alessia argued the case that it charged at them, but Mary wasn't having any of it.
It's just another reason why Mary is the 'TikTok Queen'.
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