Euro 2022 star Chloe Kelly gets hero’s welcome from QPR fans at Loftus Road | OneFootball

England star Chloe Kelly received a hero’s welcome as she carried the match ball out at Loftus Road before QPR’s match against Middlesbrough.

Kelly, a lifelong QPR fan, has become a household name after scoring the winner in the Euro 2022 Final last weekend.

She hit the back of the net in the 110th minute as England defeated Germany 2-1 at Wembley.

At the full-time whistle, Kelly was draped in a QPR flag as she celebrated. The 24-year-old later called the winner her “Bobby Zamora moment”, referring to the goal scored by Zamora in the Championship play-off final in 2014.

Kelly was subsequently invited to Loftus Road as a special guest for QPR’s clash against Middlesbrough.

She met the squad before kick-off and was presented with a signed shirt, before carrying out the match ball to rapturous applause.

The young star was then interviewed at half-time, during which she discussed her allegiance to QPR.

“I wanted to make sure it was a goal first and then there was absolute scenes,” she said.

“As soon as we won, I looked at my family and they said “get the [QPR] flag!”

“It seems so long ago I was walking around the pitch [as a mascot] living my dream. Now I’m back here with a winners medal.

“It’s so special, it’s so nice to be at Loftus Road and to be back home.”

QPR went on to win 3-2, holding off a spirited second-half comeback from Middlesbrough.

Kelly’s heroics during Euro 2022 saw her gain 135,378 new followers on Instagram, and her now-iconic celebration will go down in sporting history.

The 24-year-old whipped off her shirt after scoring the winning goal and whirled it around her head, recreating Brandi Chastain’s iconic celebration at the 1999 Women’s World Cup.

Chastain responded to the celebration, writing: “I see you @Chloe_Kelly98 well done.

“Enjoy the free rounds of pints and dinners for the rest of your life from all of England. Cheers!”

Kelly was not the only member of England’s Euro 2022 winning squad to make an appearance at a men’s football match this afternoon.