Numbers show scale of online abuse aimed at England star Jess Carter during win over Sweden | OneFootball

Jess Carter (pictured for Chelsea) was targeted with racist abuse online during England’s victory over Sweden (Judit Cartiel/SPP)

Research has found that Jess Carter was the England player targeted with the most online abuse on social media during their Euro 2025 game with Sweden.

The abuse, some of which has been racist, has followed throughout the tournament. This led to the Gotham FC and England defender to step away from social media for her wellbeing.

The numbers behind the online abuse suffered by Jess Carter

The scale of the online abuse aimed at Jess Carter has been shown by SentientSports GuardianAI which scanned posts between 7pm and 11pm on the day of England’s victory over Sweden.

Posts monitored were those mentioning the Lionesses’ official Twitter account, replies and mention of any England player on X, Instagram and TikTok.

Detailed analysis of posts during the tournament shows just how targeted Jess Carter has been.

Lucy Bronze who was the next most mentioned player in just over 5% of the posts. While Carter faced overwhelming negativity, with the vast majority of comments aimed at her being critical or abusive, Bronze received a far more positive response from fans online.

Most of the abusive posts came from users in the UK, with men accounting for three-quarters of those responsible.

The FA didn’t waste time. As soon as the abuse came to light, they went to the police and reported the posts to the platform involved. They’ve made it clear they’re standing behind Carter and want those responsible to be held to account.

What did Jess Carter say after suffering online abuse?

Posting to Instagram, Jess Carter addressed the online abuse directly.

She said: “From the start of the tournament, I have experienced a lot of racial abuse. Whilst I feel every fan is entitled to their opinion on performance and result I don’t agree or think it’s ok to target someone’s appearance or race.”

She went on to thank those who had offered her genuine support, but explained that she was stepping away from her accounts to focus fully on the tournament. Her management team will now oversee her social media presence.

“I am taking this measure to protect myself in a bid to keep my focus on helping the team any way I can,” she added.

Carter also said she hoped that by removing herself from social platforms, those who post abusive messages might think twice in the future, not just towards her but towards others too.

Why England will not take the knee against Italy

In a move that reflects the seriousness of Carter’s experience, the Lionesses have decided they will no longer take the knee before matches.

The players released a collective statement, standing behind Carter and condemning racism, while also explaining their reasons for changing their protest methods.

The team said they’ve taken the knee for a long time, but feel the gesture no longer carries the weight it once did. Instead, they’re looking for new ways to speak out against racism in a way that really lands and leads to change.

Jess Carter’s decision to speak out has sparked a bigger conversation within the group. The Lionesses are more united than ever in finding better ways to tackle racism in the game.

What’s next for England?

Having come from two goals down to beat Sweden on penalties in an incredible quarter-final, the Lionesses have shown real determination and strength when it matters most. They now face Italy in the semi-final.

England will play sharpened by everything Jess Carter and the team have been through, as they aim to take another big step towards winning back-to-back European titles.