Chloe Kelly's story: She wanted to quit football, now she's England's savior and Champions League winner
In January, Chloe Kelly was still playing for Manchester City. According to a statement she posted on her Instagram, she was unhappy with soccer and wanted to quit. She then went on loan to Arsenal and, in her own words, "returned home." At Arsenal, she regained her smile, won the Champions League with them, and a few days ago signed a contract, meaning that from the new season she will be playing in the red and white jersey aspermanent player. But first, she has an important mission ahead of her with the national team.
- Chloe Kelly revealed she was ready to quit football entirely during a “dark time” in January before ultimately speaking out publicly about her struggles at Manchester City. Despite being the scorer of England’s winning goal in the Euro 2022 final, Kelly had made only a single league start all season in Manchester, which deeply affected her mental and emotional wellbeing.
- Posting her frustrations on Instagram felt like a relief for Kelly—she said speaking up made her feel “powerful” and drew extensive support from peers, helping her take control of her narrative.
- On deadline day at the end of January 2025, Kelly secured a loan back to Arsenal—her former club—to reignite her career and strengthen her chances of making the England squad for Euro 2025.
- Returning to familiar surroundings and closer to family, Kelly felt relief and optimism at Arsenal, ready to rebuild confidence and reclaim her place in the national team.
- Kelly proved pivotal off the bench, delivering key contributions in knockout games—most notably scoring the dramatic 119th minute rebound goal against Italy to send England into the Euro 2025 final.
And how did it go? You'll find out in the full article.
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