With a hop, skip, and a thwack, Chloe Kelly fired home the winning penalty in the Euro 2025 final, sealing England’s victory over Spain — and marking another chapter in her growing influence on and off the pitch.
For Kelly, this was nothing new. Three years earlier, she scored the decisive goal in the Euro 2022 final, famously celebrating by swinging her shirt over her head in a moment hailed as a symbol of empowerment. Now, in Basel, her celebrations mixed warmth — sharing hugs and laughs with a young mascot — with swagger, turning to the camera with a cheeky, sweary message that divided opinion abroad.
Teammates describe her as a player who thrives when the stakes are highest. “She seems to shine when the team needs her most,” says defender Esme Morgan. Off the pitch, Kelly is relaxed and down-to-earth, but in the dressing room she is a vocal leader who pushes those around her.
Her impact extends far beyond the game. As Nicola Kemp of Creativebrief puts it, “Kelly has passion and audacity on the pitch, matched with commercial appeal — she’s at the centre of a cultural shift in women’s football.” That shift is reflected in her soaring popularity: from 75,000 Instagram followers before Euro 2022 to over 1.2 million today, surpassing some of the game’s biggest names.
She’s also a marketer’s dream. During the tournament, cameras caught her strapping on shinpads featuring wedding photos with her husband Scott Moore and their tuxedo-wearing dogs, Otis and Rolo. Her personal life — from her lockdown BBQ banana-and-Nutella ritual to her deep London roots — resonates with fans who see her as relatable as well as remarkable.
Kelly’s journey hasn’t been smooth. Earlier this year, she left Manchester City under a cloud, accusing the club of spreading negative stories about her. A loan move to Arsenal reignited her career, culminating in a Champions League title just four months later. “The last six months of Chloe’s career are what some players achieve in a lifetime,” says former England midfielder Izzy Christiansen.
Her confidence is matched by resilience. Having once considered quitting football for mental health reasons, Kelly now stands as a symbol of self-belief. “Sometimes you have to look after your mental health first,” she reflects. “I’m proud of the journey.”
For Kemp, Kelly represents the next evolution of women’s football icons — not perfect role models, but complex, dynamic personalities. “She’s full of flair,” Kemp says. “You wouldn’t want her to be just one thing.”
From shirt-twirling hero to penalty-shootout saviour, Chloe Kelly is no longer just the Lioness who delivers in big moments — she is the new sensation driving the game’s culture forward.
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