Camille Naredo

England's forward #18 Chloe Kelly celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 semi-final football match between England and Italy at the Stade de Geneve in Geneva, on July 22, 2025. Miguel Medina, AFP

England's forward #18 Chloe Kelly celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 semi-final football match between England and Italy at the Stade de Geneve in Geneva, on July 22, 2025. (Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP)

Article (news)

UEFA Women's Euro 2025 

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1753676674926THUMB FOR ABS SPORTS.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="England&#x27;s forward #18 Chloe Kelly celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Women&#x27;s Euro 2025 semi-final football match between England and Italy at the Stade de Geneve in Geneva, on July 22, 2025. Miguel Medina, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">England&#x27;s forward #18 Chloe Kelly celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Women&#x27;s Euro 2025 semi-final football match between England and Italy at the Stade de Geneve in Geneva, on July 22, 2025. <em>Miguel Medina, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>BASEL, Switzerland -- England penalty hero Chloe Kelly said Sunday she had been unable to hold back the tears after finishing a roller-coaster year in her career by scoring the spot-kick that allowed the Lionesses to beat Spain in the Women&#x27;s Euro 2025 final.</p><p>The 27-year-old&#x27;s penalty sealed a 3-1 shoot-out victory for England against Spain after the match in Basel had finished 1-1 at the end of extra time.</p><p>She had earlier come off the bench late in the first half in place of the injured Lauren James with England trailing 1-0, and crossed for Alessia Russo to head in her team&#x27;s equalizer.</p><p>&quot;I just came on the pitch and wanted to make something happen,&quot; said Kelly, who has made a habit of being a super-sub during the tournament.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2025/7/27/england-beat-spain-on-penalties-in-womens-euro-2025-final-0309">READ: Defending champions England beat Spain on penalties to win Women&#x27;s Euro 2025</a></div><p>The Arsenal player came on as a substitute against Sweden and helped England recover from 2-0 down in a quarter-final they eventually won on penalties -- Kelly scored in that shoot-out too.</p><p>Then she scored the winner late in extra time in the semi-final against Italy, following in to net after her penalty had been saved.</p><p>&quot;I know Alessia&#x27;s strengths and I just tried to put the ball on her head, and then taking the penalty,&quot; Kelly said.</p><p>&quot;I actually missed three penalties in training yesterday but I think it&#x27;s the belief in this squad, all 23 players and the people that you don&#x27;t see behind the scenes, the staff members, to get us through this tournament.</p><p>&quot;I am proud to be part of an amazing group of girls.&quot;</p><p>It is a familiar feeling for Kelly, who scored the extra-time winner when England beat Germany 2-1 in the Euro 2022 final in front of over 87,000 fans at Wembley.</p><p>In between she was unable to change the game from the bench in the 2023 World Cup final, which England lost 1-0 to Spain in Sydney.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- &#x27;Tough times don&#x27;t last&#x27; -</strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz86TOfDIfqXIe&amp;cid=ABdDAEuFjYq-BPqS"></script><p>Just a few months ago it seemed Kelly might not even make Sarina Wiegman&#x27;s squad for the tournament in Switzerland, given her situation at club level.</p><p>In January she asked to leave Manchester City, where she had been used sparingly in the first months of the season.</p><p>Kelly wrote on social media that people at City had been trying to &quot;assassinate my character&quot; and said her mental wellbeing had been affected.</p><p>She then joined Arsenal on loan until the end of the campaign, and went on to play for them as they beat Barcelona in the Champions League final in May.</p><p>&quot;There were a lot of tears at full-time especially when I saw my family because those are the people who got me through those dark moments,&quot; Kelly said on Sunday.</p><p>&quot;I am so grateful to be out of it but if that is a story to tell someone who maybe experiences something the same, then tough times don&#x27;t last,&quot; she added.</p><p>&quot;Just around the corner was a Champions League final -- I won that, and now a Euros final I have won that, so thank you to everyone who wrote me off. I am grateful.&quot;</p><p>Kelly recently signed permanently for Arsenal, where she also played earlier in her career, and will return to North London as a European champion at club and international level.</p><p>&quot;Every player has their own story, and I think every story is incredible on its own, but her story is unbelievable,&quot; said England coach Sarina Wiegman.</p><p>&quot;I am so happy for her too. She has been fighting to come back to her highest level.</p><p>&quot;She loved this moment, she just really wanted to take the penalty -- to be able to score that penalty under that pressure is very impressive too.&quot;</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>England penalty hero Chloe Kelly said Sunday she had been unable to hold back the tears after finishing a roller-coaster year in her career by scoring the spot-kick that allowed the Lionesses to beat Spain in the Women's Euro 2025 final.</p>

England penalty hero Chloe Kelly said Sunday she had been unable to hold back the tears after finishing a roller-coaster year in her career by scoring the spot-kick that allowed the Lionesses to beat Spain in the Women's Euro 2025 final.

England hero Kelly overcomes 'dark moments' on way to Euro 2025 glory

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England hero Kelly overcomes 'dark moments' on way to Euro 2025 glory

Agence France-Presse,

Andy Scott

Published Jul 28, 2025 12:50 PM PHT

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Chloe Kelly

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