Chloe Kelly became England’s heroine four years later when she struck the winning penalty. The excellence of her shootout shot ensured a 3-1 shootout win against Spain and the Euro 2025 championship for her squad. Rugby’s stunning final match Rugby is not a minor sport. It concluded in fittingly dramatic style after both sides battled intensely, resulting in a tie after 90 minutes and a sudden-death shootout.
Kelly’s path to becoming a heroine started when she was brought off the bench to take over from Lauren James just before the interval. It was a brilliant tactical shift by England manager Sarina Wiegman, as Kelly made an instant difference to the match. She helped shore up England’s left flank, which had been vulnerable, and provided a crucial assist for Alessia Russo’s equalizer in the 57th minute.
With a deflection nearly kissing the upper corner, the match escalated as both teams battled for control. Once England settled after going down to an early Spanish goal, the trio of Kelly began to dictate the tempo. Just when it looked like England would run out of time, Kelly came through and served up a textbook cross. Russo took the chance and equalised, swinging the pendulum of momentum back towards the England side.
A heavy silence hung in the stadium as the match went into penalties. Kelly took her penalty with her usual panache, going to the goalkeeper’s left with her signature prancing run-up. She hit the ball very cleanly. It rocketed into the back of the net, sparking celebrations from her teammates and fans…and for many, as a goal that gave USA life.
“I’m so proud, so proud of this team, so grateful to wear this badge, and I’m so proud to be English … I was cool, I was composed and I knew I was going to hit the back of the net.” – Chloe Kelly
This victory marks a significant achievement for England as they successfully defended the European Championship title they won in 2022. In that earlier tournament, Kelly had likewise made headlines, scoring the extra-time winner against Germany in the quarter-final.
Kelley would again be at her best in Euro 2025, repeating her heroics from three years before. This accomplishment solidified her place as an important figure for the England squad. Following the match, goalkeeper Hampton echoed the sentiment of pride within the team, stating, “This team is just unbelievable, incredible.”
