MANCHESTER -- For most professional soccer players, the summer break offers the opportunity to jet off to glitzy locations like Ibiza or Dubai to rest and recharge ahead of the new season. But for Manchester United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce, 29, however, this year's offseason was all about expanding her horizons.
"I spent some time with an amazing researcher called Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza," Tullis-Joyce tells ESPN. "She studies stingless bees, and pairs indigenous knowledge with scientific knowledge, so I got to shadow her in the Amazon rainforest which was just incredible. It was a blast, but I was definitely ready to come back to my teammates again and get back down to work."
It is that constant hunger to better herself -- combined with impressive technical ability -- that has made the goalkeeper a real fan favorite at United. Having joined the club from NWSL side Seattle Reign in 2023, Tullis-Joyce has made the transition from Mary Earps' deputy to undisputed No. 1 look seamless, with her performances at club level earning her regular call-ups to the United States women's national team.
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This past season, Tullis-Joyce started every Women's Super League game for United and won the Golden Glove award (joint with Chelsea's Hannah Hampton) as Marc Skinner's side finished third. Having deservedly earned her place in the 2025 PFA Team of the Year, Tullis-Joyce helped United clinch qualification for the UEFA Women's Champions League league phase, under its new format, for their first time in the main draw and is part of the joint-best defense in the WSL this term.
It is an impressive list of accolades, though Tullis-Joyce has had to be patient for her moment in the spotlight. She admits there were times during the early part of her career when she was "scraping by" for groceries, while she had to wait an entire season for her WSL debut after securing her move to United.
"It was definitely explained to me when I came in because obviously Mary Earps was here," she says. "It was nice to work with her and really understand what it takes to be a Manchester United goalkeeper, with all the pressure and the standards that we have. It was a moment in time where I really just had to grind without the spotlight really being on me so that I would then be ready to become the starting goalkeeper."
Following in the footsteps of arguably the most high-profile goalkeeper in the women's game would be a daunting task for many. But, when Earps left United as a free agent to join Paris Saint-Germain in summer 2024, Tullis-Joyce was ready to grab the opportunity with both hands.
"The trajectory of my career has been crazy, and I've been so lucky along the way," she says. "I've always had great people around me in terms of the staff and my teammates and so it has always been about trying to get into the best position possible to handle that pressure. I remember the first game I had for United, Maya [Le Tissier] was captain and she just turned to me and said: 'Enjoy it.' That's just a testament to the people we have in this team and the faith that we have in each other. It's a special environment to be a part of."
Tullis-Joyce kept 13 clean sheets in the WSL this past season, conceding just 16 goals across the duration of the campaign as United pipped local rivals Manchester City to third place. It was that sparkling form that led the club to offer the goalkeeper a new long-term contract, which she signed earlier this year.
"I believe, with her in goal, we'll win things," Skinner said of the club's decision to extend Tullis-Joyce's stay until 2028. "You have key players as a manager and, for me, Phallon is a key player. She's a fantastic goalkeeper but also a fantastic person. I need to stress that every time we talk, because I want to build a team of solid, fantastic players, but also fantastic people. She fits the bill on both of those and I'm looking forward to building strong teams with her in them."
It was a ringing endorsement from the United boss, and Tullis-Joyce is now one of the first names on the team sheet for her club as it seeks to win its first ever WSL title. Skinner's side are currently third in the table -- two points off leaders Chelsea -- but, with the team yet to lose a game this term, Tullis-Joyce believes United have every chance of going the distance in the title race.
"I'm really proud of what we did last season," she says. "That moment when we secured Champions League football was a real accumulation of all the work and effort we put in to make the top three. Now, I'm really grateful we have the opportunity to build on that.
"This league is crazy -- I love it! Every league that I've played in has its own strengths and attributes, but playing in the WSL, there are some incredible players, incredible teams and the tactics that are involved are just amazing. It demands you to be the best version of yourself."
It is not just at club level where Tullis-Joyce is making her mark. Having made her debut for the USWNT in a 2-0 win over Brazil in April, the goalkeeper has started to cement herself as a key part of USWNT coach Emma Hayes' plans and is expected to feature when the USWNT take on Portugal in Pennsylvania this week.
"I think Phallon and her experiences in England have really taken her game up a notch," Hayes said ahead of the game. "I really notice she's a player that has gone through the various levels. There were things she absolutely had to work on post-Seattle that I think she's gone to England and started to add to. I've said this a lot of times: If you think about when Alyssa Naeher became the U.S. women's national team's No. 1 goalkeeper [back in 2017], it takes a while."
For Tullis-Joyce, the journey to becoming her country's No. 1 has been long but worthwhile. And, with both United and the USWNT bidding to win major titles in the years ahead, the goalkeeper believes she still has plenty of chapters to write.
"I've been very lucky in my journey," she says. "I did put myself in positions to be lucky but the staff members I've worked with have had a lot of trust in me and I'm so grateful for that.
"Emma has such a wealth of knowledge but also a wealth of emotional knowledge. She likes to get to know her players as people as well. Right off the bat she got to know me. But she's also a coach, so she's not afraid to let you know what she expects from you, which makes me even more excited and ambitious. I just want to continue being my best self for her, for Marc and the club and for my country."