England hero Chloe Kelly has said her iconic celebration after scoring the winning goal in the Euro 2022 final was a spontaneous act of joy, not a calculated statement. The Manchester City winger whipped off her shirt and twirled it above her head after securing a 2-1 victory over Germany at Wembley in July.
Kelly, 25, told the PA news agency: “I think it was just off the cuff and just showed my emotion in that moment. ‘We’ve done it’, that’s all I thought. It was nothing more than that.” She added that she felt like a young child playing cage football, celebrating as she would have done growing up near Wembley.
The celebration drew comparisons with Brandi Chastain’s famous moment after the 1999 World Cup final. Kelly, who has since exchanged messages with the American, said: “Just to see how many women were so touched by that and how powerful it was – I probably didn’t realise in that moment just how powerful that celebration was.”
Kelly hopes the legacy of the Euros win will encourage girls to be themselves in sport. She said: “We have to create a legacy now going forward, and an environment where the younger generations are able to just be themselves.” The Government has announced plans to ensure schools deliver at least two hours of PE per week and give girls equal access to football.
The Lionesses’ triumph has already boosted participation, with registered female players rising 12.5 per cent from September to December. Kelly, who will aim for further success at this summer’s World Cup, added: “I’m very proud to be part of a team that did change mindsets, and it is so much better now – and I think we can make it even better for the generations that come after us.”
