England's Jess Carter targeted by racist abuse during Euro 2025 as FA involve police
The 27-year-old has started all of the defending champions' matches so far in Switzerland and said she will take a step back from social media to focus on the rest of the tournament.
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham said the FA 'immediately contacted UK police' after learning of the abuse and vowed to ensure 'those responsible for this hate crime are brought to justice'.
The England team, in a statement, also demanded that 'those behind this online poison must be held accountable".
Writing on her Instagram account, Carter said in a statement: "A message to the fans… From the start of the tournament I have experienced a lot of racial abuse. Whilst I feel every fan is entitled to their opinion on performance and result I don't agree or think it's ok to target someone's appearance or race.
'As a result of this I will be taking a step back from social media and leaving it to a team to deal with.
'As ever I am grateful for all of the support from the genuine fans but I am taking this measure to protect myself in a bid to keep my focus on helping the team any way I can.
'Hopefully speaking out will make the people writing this abuse think twice so that others won't have to deal with it.
'We have made some historic changes with this Lionesses squad that I am so proud to be a part of and my hope is that by speaking out about this it will make another positive change for all.
'I'm now looking forward and focusing on putting all of my energy into helping my team.'
The defending champions, who have previously taken a knee before matches, said in a squad statement they will remain standing ahead of the semi-final, adding: 'It's clear we need to find another way to tackle racism".
Kneeling as a symbolic anti-racism gesture gained prominence in 2016 when NFL player Colin Kaepernick knelt during the US national anthem in protest against racial injustice and police brutality, and became more widespread during the Black Lives Matter movement.
A team statement, posted on the Lionesses' official account on X, read: 'We stand with Jess and all Lionesses players past and present who have suffered racism.
'No one should have to endure such vile abuse, be that in football or any walk of life.
'Representing our country is the greatest honour. It is not right that while we are doing that, some of us are treated differently simply because of the colour of our skin.
'Until now, we have chosen to take the knee before matches. It is clear we and football need to find another way to tackle racism. We have agreed as a squad to remain standing before kick-off on Tuesday.
'We hope the game can come together to see what more can be done. For now, we will return our total focus to an important semi-final.
'In the meantime, we know the FA are working with UK police and the appropriate bodies. Those behind this online poison must be held accountable.'
The Lionesses head to Geneva next to face Italy in Tuesday night's semi-final. A win would see them through to the final against either Germany or Spain, who play on Wednesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Meet the Lionesses super-fan who spends thousands travelling the world to cheer them on - and even has her own themed pub in her garden!
A Lionesses super-fan says she spends £4,000 a year following England and Arsenal. Zoe Bleach, 42, has even installed a £3,000 pub in her back garden, dubbed The Lionesses Den, to cheer them on from Gravesend, Kent, when she's not travelling. She has a collection of Lionesses memorabilia worth around £1,000 - a dream for a lady who fell in love with the beautiful game aged two. Bleach speaks ahead of Tuesday night's semi-final clash with Italy, as research from Amazon's Chatterbox series shows a quarter of British women (25%) believe football is what the UK does best. 'I would say I spend £4,000 a year supporting the Arsenal and England women's teams - the game tickets and travelling all add up,' she said. 'For Euro 2022 I booked tickets for most of the games including the final. I basically took a whole month off to watch the Lionesses. England will play Italy on Tuesday night as they bid for a place in the final of the women's Euros 'I went to Brighton twice, Southampton, Northern Ireland and to Wembley. I spent around £2,000 travelling and buying merchandise on that tournament alone. 'My biggest ever football trip was in 2003, when I travelled to the USA and went on a 16-hour road trip between Mississippi and Washington DC to watch five professional women's soccer matches played in the WUSA league. 'I met Kelly Smith there, and I've never been so starstruck in all my life. I couldn't even remember my name. I didn't know my name, I didn't know where I was from. 'She came and spoke to us for about 10 minutes. It was such a surreal moment in my life. I was so excited to meet her because she was my idol. She is absolutely the best player in the world.' In 2023, Bleach and her partner Elizabeth spent five months building The Lionesses Den to watch the Women's World Cup, where England finished runners-up to Spain. 'It cost us about £3,000 and we have signed shirts from Beth Mead and Kelly Smith, signed autographs from Lucy Bronze and Mary Earps and pictures of me with Leah Williamson. 'The whole collection is probably worth around £1,000. 'It might have been a lot to spend, but we use the pub easily once or twice a week and we love it. I don't regret a single penny I've spent supporting the Lionesses.'
Daily Mirror
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
England Lioness Chloe Kelly uses these noise-cancelling headphones ahead of semi-finals
Ahead of the women's semi-final match against Italy, England Lioness Chloe Kelly just shared an insight into her pre-game essentials which include these noise-cancelling headphones Tonight (July 22) marks the women's semi-final of the Euros, where England will face Italy. After the long and anxiety-ridden match against Sweden last week, England supporters are eagerly anticipating watching the Lionesses potentially carry England into the Euros final. To keep up with the semi-finals build-up and stay up to date with all things Euros, check out our Live Blog here. Ahead of tonight's match, the England forward Chloe Kelly took to Instagram to share a picture of her and her fellow teammates on their way to the stadium. But keen-eyed fans may have noticed the pair of headphones placed beside Chloe, and we think we've figured out exactly what wireless noise-cancelling headphones she was using to get in the zone before training. Though Chloe isn't using the headphones, nor did she confirm they're brand, it's pretty clear the pair of headphones next to her are these Sonos Ace headphones. From the brand known for creating top-of-the-range gadgets, these headphones, in particular, have been obsessively crafted and masterfully tuned to make you feel at one with the sounds that matter most to you. Whether you're getting amped up to your favourite tunes ahead of a big game, or commuting to work listening to your favourite podcast, these headphones have got you covered. The white headphones Chloe uses promise to let you feel every frequency with superior precision and clarity. They are touted for maximising your immersion with lossless streaming, promising uninterrupted listening no matter where you are or what device you're connected to. Plus, the spatial audio and dynamic head tracking ensure these are perfect for taking calls while you're on the go. Not to mention, the world-class Active Noise Cancellation means you can hear your phone call, audiobook, music and more without interruption from background noise. Hear what's going around you with Aware mode, which keeps you conscious of your surroundings while you're walking to work, taking the tube or communicating by bus, ensuring safety while you're out and about Armed with up to 30 hours of battery life, these headphones promise exceptional comfort and flawlessly clear and crisp audio no matter what you're listening to or where you are. They seamlessly connect to your devices wirelessly using Bluetooth, or you can use the included USB-C and 3.5 mm cables provided if you'd rather enjoy wired listening. Available in white, like Chloe's pair, or black, these headphones aren't just a favourite of the England football star, as plenty of 5-star reviews pour in. One thrilled customer raves: "Bought these in the recent EOFY sale and zero regrets. I was choosing between the AirPods Max, Sony XM6 and these. The NC is AMAZING on these bad boys and serve me well casually, in office and on planes. The sound is fantastic, and I love them having physical controls. Also not too bulky and ear cups and very comfy and don't hurt head or ears." While another satisfied shopper shares: "I don't have any comparable usage to other high-end noise cancellation headphones, but took the chance on these based on the other Sonos products I own. I love these headphones! They are comfortable, easy to pair and use with multiple devices. During the day, they are paired to my phone and computer. They work seamlessly between streaming music from my phone and taking work calls on my computer. In the evenings, I use them in the den to watch TV, seamlessly switching to the headphones from my Sonos home theater system. I've also taken calls at a loud coffee shop and been told my voice is clear and the background noise cannot be heard. I've yet to use them during air travel but fully expect a much more peaceful experience.2 And this buyer beams: "I initially wanted Apple over ear headphones but tried these on instore instead. The active noise and noise cancelling sold me as I'm a teacher and sometimes need to block out the noise of the world so I don't get overstimulated. The audio quality is great. And they are light and sleek."
The Sun
25 minutes ago
- The Sun
England vs Italy live stream FREE: How to watch huge Women's Euros semi-final without paying a penny
ENGLAND face Italy tonight in what is expected to be a thrilling Women's Euros semi-final - and fans can watch it all unfold for FREE. The Lionesses' trophy defence was on the brink of coming to an abrupt end when they went two goals down in 25 minutes during their quarter-final clash against Sweden. However, two goals in two minutes from Lucy Bronze and Michelle Ageymang, plus a chaotic penalty shootout win, saw Sarina Wiegman's side book their spot in tonight's final four match. And many will have the Lionesses as favourites to beat Italy, who have never won a major tournament in their entire history. But the Italians should certainly have the wind in their sails as Cristiana Girelli's double against Norway, fired Italy to their first Women's Euros semi-final since 1997. This match has all the ingredients to be an all-time classic, and SunSport can provide fans with information on how to tune in without paying a penny. How to watch England vs Italy for FREE England's huge 2025 Women's Euros semi-final against Italy will be broadcast for FREE on ITV 1. Coverage is scheduled to get underway from 7pm BST. You can also stream the match for FREE via the ITV X app or ITV website. Alternatively, SunSport's live blog will bring you minute-by-minute coverage as the Lionesses look to progress to the final. When is England vs Italy? England vs Italy will take place TONIGHT - Tuesday, July 22. The thrilling 2025 Women's Euros semi-final is set to kick off at 8pm BST. Stade de Geneve in Switzerland is the chosen venue for this contest and it can host approximately 30,000 fans. The Lionesses thrashed Italy 5-1 when the two countries last met in a 2024 friendly. England's team news Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman will be hoping her captain, Leah Williamson is fit again after being forced to come off during the heroic win against Sweden. Besides that, we could see the same team that started in the quarter-final win despite Chloe Kelly and Michelle Agyemang's crucial involvement.
