The Arsenal winger changed the game against Sweden, with her remarkable crosses creating both goals in an incredibly dramatic comeback
Home
Home Kit
Inspired by retro sportswear and Lioness kits of the pastFeatures classic English colours in a modern and energetic execution Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyAway
Away Kit
Celebrates the squad's impact on future generations of female athletesFeatures bursts of bright colours accenting a fearless blackAvailable in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyGoalkeeper
Goalkeeper Kit
Comes in the traditional green colourwayLogos centralised for a retro look Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyHome
Home Kit
Inspired by retro sportswear and Lioness kits of the pastFeatures classic English colours in a modern and energetic execution Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyAway
Away Kit
Celebrates the squad's impact on future generations of female athletesFeatures bursts of bright colours accenting a fearless blackAvailable in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyGoalkeeper
Goalkeeper Kit
Comes in the traditional green colourwayLogos centralised for a retro look Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyHome
Home Kit
Inspired by retro sportswear and Lioness kits of the pastFeatures classic English colours in a modern and energetic execution Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyAway
Away Kit
Celebrates the squad's impact on future generations of female athletesFeatures bursts of bright colours accenting a fearless blackAvailable in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
BuyGoalkeeper
Goalkeeper Kit
Comes in the traditional green colourwayLogos centralised for a retro look Available in S, M, L, XL and 2XL
From
£84.99
Buy
There were a lot of players who stepped up in order to drag England across the line in their Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden on Thursday night. Be it Lucy Bronze, who kickstarted the comeback from 2-0 down with a brilliant header before thumping her penalty beyond Jennifer Falk to swing the momentum in the Lionesses' favour in the shootout. Michelle Agyemang's another, the nerveless teenager who pounced on a loose ball to draw the reigning European champions level with her first major tournament goal. Hannah Hampton more than played her part, too, as she saved two spot-kicks in the shootout after making a couple of big saves in the game itself.
But no one changed this game quite like Chloe Kelly. The Arsenal winger had been on the pitch mere seconds when she whipped in a wonderful cross to the back post that Bronze connected with, heading home the goal that narrowed the deficit to 2-1 with a little over 10 minutes remaining. Then, almost straight after the restart, Kelly was at it again, as another delivery caused chaos in the Sweden box and led to Agyemang bagging the equaliser.
Completing the set with a nerveless penalty, before which she even managed to flash a smile at opposing goalkeeper Falk, this was a massive, pressure-defying performance from Kelly – one which surely has Sarina Wiegman thinking about how to use her in Tuesday's semi-final clash with Italy.
Getty ImagesTotal turnaround
It's incredible to think that, six months ago, it looked like Kelly wouldn't even be in the England squad for this tournament. The winger was completely out-of-favour at Manchester City, amid reports of a relationship breakdown with then-head coach Gareth Taylor, and Wiegman even admitted her lack of minutes was a "concern".
A January transfer felt absolutely imperative if Kelly was to turn her fortunes around on the international front – yet, even that seemed difficult to achieve. Manchester United were interested, but City were unwilling to sanction a loan to their bitter rivals. Indeed, with a matter of hours left of the window Kelly wrote on Instagram: "To be dictated whom I can and can’t join with only four months left of the football season is having a huge impact on not only my career but my mental well-being. The situation has dragged on for too long, it’s disappointing and not right. I am human and I have and will give everything to the game that I love. Ultimately, I just want to be happy again.”
AdvertisementGettyFinding form again
Fortunately, things changed dramatically when Arsenal came in with a last-minute loan offer. Kelly was heading back to the club she called her own between the ages of 12 and 20, and it was there that she completely turned her season around. After a frustrating start, which saw her second debut delayed due to Arsenal having two clashes with City and then a game in the cup, all of which she was ineligible for, the 27-year-old finally got back on the pitch in mid-February. From there, she just let loose.
Kelly started nine of Arsenal's final 14 games of the season, unavailable for two of the five she didn't, and registered two goals and five assists in that time, which was quite the contribution from someone who had barely played football that season before returning to north London. “I always said I really wanted to get my smile back and this has done just that for me," she said of the move. "I’m very grateful."
Getty ImagesTicking all boxes
Things couldn't have gone better, really, on the club front, with Kelly helping the Gunners lift the Champions League trophy at the end of May before making a permanent switch to the north Londoners in the weeks that followed. But it was also monumental on an international level, helping the winger get right back into the England picture in time to make the cut for the Euros.
“You never take for granted playing for your country, so I knew that I needed to get minutes and work hard to be able to be in this position," Kelly said ahead of the tournament, with her absolutely grateful to be able to bounce back and return to the squad. But might she have her sights set on something more as Tuesday's semi-final approaches?
Getty ImagesConsistent super-sub
Despite her undeniable status as an England icon, secured thanks to her dramatic extra-time winner in the final of Euro 2022, Kelly has never really been a consistent starter for the Lionesses. Three years ago, she was the super sub, and that was a role she held again at the 2023 Women's World Cup, despite stating her case for a bigger role with some impactful involvements from the bench as England reached the final.
Now, at Euro 2025, the story is the same. Kelly might have been able to impressively assert herself on the Arsenal XI so quickly after rejoining the club earlier this year, but she remains a 'finisher', as Wiegman likes to call them, with England.