When all else fails, Chloe Kelly steps in. The striker makes England unpredictable

Chloe Kelly's celebrations have long been as legendary as her goals for the England national team. Whether it was her winning goal in the 2022 European Championship final against Germany or her decisive goal in extra time in the recent European Championship semifinal against Italy. Three years ago, she ripped off her shirt, flung it through the air, and ran across the pitch in a sports bra, unmistakably wearing it.

A Guardian newspaper writer aptly described this historic moment in England's sporting history: "This is a woman's body—not for sex or display, but for the sheer joy of what she can do, her strength and her ability."

This time, after initially missing a penalty and then converting it on the rebound, Kelly demonstratively called for calm. The 27-year-old remained alone at the corner flag – one hand on her hip, the other casually resting on the post. Her posture exuded composure and confidence. She posted the picture on Instagram, captioning it: nothing.

These striking scenes reflect Kelly's extroverted and unconventional personality. She's always been like this, says her teammate Esme Morgan – a woman who simply doesn't care what others think of her. With this strength of character, Kelly seems perfectly suited for nerve-wracking finals matches, including the final against Spain.

Pressure situations seem to pass the attacker by without a trace. Her determination and willpower give the English team the confidence that has set them apart from most of their competitors in tight situations for years.

Coach Sarina Wiegman therefore consistently relies on Kelly as a stand-in when she's behind. "When all eyes are on her, she thrives," says Morgan. When asked where her indestructible confidence comes from, Kelly replied: "From myself!" This is by no means just metaphorical: Her career has indeed been characterized by remarkable resilience.

Time and again, she has overcome setbacks and found her way – most recently, just six months ago, when she was seriously considering quitting football. After four successful years at Manchester City, Kelly lost her starting place due to internal competition and was used only sporadically in the first half of the season, reportedly partly due to a strained relationship with coach Gareth Taylor.

Wiegman said at the time that the lack of match practice could become a problem ahead of the European Championship. Therefore, in January – six months before the end of his contract – Kelly pushed for an early departure from Manchester. However, a move seemed unlikely to materialize for various reasons.

On the eve of the transfer window's close, Kelly shared a desperate yet courageous message in which she lashed out at her club. She wrote that her mental well-being was suffering from being "dictated" to which club she could and could not join.

Manchester City reportedly blocked a transfer to city rivals United, while Kelly herself rejected an offer from Brighton. The publicity sparked widespread sympathy, and numerous English celebrities, partly due to her fame, came to the Euro 2020 hero's defense. The pressure on Manchester City mounted.

Shortly before the transfer deadline, the club agreed a loan with newly interested league rivals Arsenal. Kelly accused City of trying to damage their reputation by "spreading negative stories." City coach Taylor attempted to de-escalate the situation, saying they were in a performance-driven business where tough decisions had to be made, which sometimes led to the wishes of individual players being ignored.

At Arsenal, Kelly rediscovered her form and played a key role in helping the club become the first English team to win the Champions League. She started the final against FC Barcelona, subsequently signed a new contract with Arsenal, and, as is well known, was called up for the European Championship.

Kelly summed up the past six months by saying she'd found happiness again after feeling like she was in a "dark place" at Manchester City. She had already demonstrated her resilience before the last European Championship, when she fought her way back in time after a cruciate ligament tear.

Kelly's specialty is her finishing ability; she has one of the fiercest shots in women's football. She converted the winning penalty in the 2023 World Cup round of 16 against Nigeria at 111 km/h – and then touchingly took care of the disappointed goalkeeper. Add to that her precise crosses, her pace, and the confidence her teammates have in her ability to turn any match around.

"No matter what happens, Chloe stands up, puffs out her chest, and gives it her all," says teammate Lucy Bronze. These qualities developed early on the street courts in the London borough of Ealing. Her five brothers never made it easy for her and "toughened her up," Kelly once said: When she was on the floor, all they told her was, "Get up or you're out of the game."

But ultimately, she always prevailed. Chloe Kelly knows better than many others that it's not how you start something that matters, but how you finish it, praises the Guardian. And nothing epitomizes this more than her goal celebrations.

An article from the « NZZ am Sonntag »