“Thank you to everyone that wrote me off, I’m grateful,” says Chloe Kelly, back-to-back match winner of the UEFA Women’s Euros | OneFootball

“Thank you to everyone that wrote me off, I’m grateful,” says Chloe Kelly, back-to-back match winner of the UEFA Women’s Euros | OneFootball

In partnership with

Yahoo sports
Icon: FromTheSpot

FromTheSpot

·28 de julho de 2025

“Thank you to everyone that wrote me off, I’m grateful,” says Chloe Kelly, back-to-back match winner of the UEFA Women’s Euros

Imagem do artigo:“Thank you to everyone that wrote me off, I’m grateful,” says Chloe Kelly, back-to-back match winner of the UEFA Women’s Euros

Chloe Kelly loves the big stage – and after becoming a back-to-back UEFA Women’s Euro final match-winner, the Arsenal forward spoke to the media. Her decisive penalty had ensured England would retain their European crown for another four years, after she’d scored the winner at Wembley in 2022.

The forward had replaced Lauren James just before the break and went on to assist Alessia Russo’s leveller before the shootout – and it was an impressive effort from twelve yards out, with her 110km/h effort the fastest of the tournament and more powerful than any goal in the Premier League last season.


Vídeos OneFootball


“Incredible game of football. Both sides [were] really good head-to-head,” she explained post-match, “and two incredible teams fighting for everything and leaving nothing on the pitch. I just came on the pitch and wanted to make something happen. I know [Alessia Russo]’s strengths and tried to put the ball on her head and then, of course, taking the penalty. I actually missed three penalties in training yesterday, but I think it’s the belief in this squad – all 23 players, and the people that you don’t see behind the scenes, the staff members – to get us through this tournament. I am really proud to be English right now and I am proud to be part of an amazing group of girls.”

It’s been a whirlwind year for Kelly, who revealed she was ready to quit football in January, knowing that her lack of game time at Manchester City would mean she missed out on a place in Sarina Wiegman’s Euro 2025 squad. A loan move to Arsenal, which has since been made permanent, saw the forward rediscover her smile and her confidence.

“There were a lot of tears at full-time especially when I saw my family because those were the people that got me through those tough dark moments. I’m so grateful to be out the back end. But, if that’s a story to tell, someone that maybe experiences something the same, tough times don’t last. Just around the corner was a Champions League final – won that. Then a Euros final, won that. Thank you to everyone that wrote me off. I’m grateful.”

As for Wiegman – the mastermind behind England’s campaign – Kelly commented: “She’s bloody amazing. She’s an incredible woman. What she’s done for this country, we should all be so grateful for. What she’s done for me individually, she gave me hope when I probably didn’t have any. She gave me an opportunity to represent my country again. I knew that I had to get game time and representing England is never a given. But what she’s done for the women’s game – not just in England, in the Netherlands she’s done it – she’s taken it to a whole other level. The work doesn’t go unnoticed from the staff behind her, they’re incredible people and I’m so grateful to have worked with such amazing staff members.”

And as for that bizarre but lethal penalty routine, she revealed “it started when I was at Everton, quite a few years ago now. It’s something that just works for me, I can’t explain it too much. I actually spoke with one of the coaches the other day about it. It’s just my routine that works for me, I take my time, I take my breath, and I am confident in that taking the penalty normal would probably feel a bit weird to me. So it’s just my routine, sometimes you miss, sometimes you score. But I was adamant I was not missing two on a bounce.”

Saiba mais sobre o veículo