Kelly a fitting hero in England's gritty Euro victory
The 27-year-old, who had been doubtful to make Sarina Wiegman's Euros team only six months ago, did her trademark run-up, lifting her left leg and skipping onto her right, before launching a powerful shot into the top corner.
'Incredible game of football. I just came onto the pitch and wanted to make something happen,' Kelly said.
'Of course, taking the penalty, I actually missed three in training yesterday, (but) it's the belief in this squad, I'm really proud to be English right now and proud to be part of an amazing group of girls.'
Kelly was the hero in England's 2022 victory at Wembley, scoring in extra time before famously twirling her shirt above her head in celebration.
She came to the Lionesses' rescue several times in Switzerland, scoring in the shootout in their quarter-final victory over Sweden, and smashing home her own rebound of a missed penalty against Italy in the semis.
'I was cool, I was composed and I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. I don't miss penalties twice,' she said of her winning spot-kick.
Kelly's Switzerland story is remarkable considering back in January there were doubts she would make the Euros squad. She was barely playing for Manchester City and made a public plea to leave the club.
She called them 'dark days'.
Kelly's plea worked as she spent the rest of the season on a successful loan spell with Arsenal.
'I'm so grateful to be out the back end,' Kelly said. 'But if that's a story to tell someone that maybe experiences something the same that tough times don't last.
'Thank to everyone who wrote me off. I'm grateful.'
Wiegman wrapped the crying Kelly in a long embrace.
'Everybody brings something different and she brings this,' Wiegman said. 'She has been fighting to come back and to be at her highest level. She really wanted to take that penalty of course, and celebrate that.'
Kelly did not wait long to celebrate. Before starting a television interview, she grabbed the mic to sing along to 'Sweet Caroline' being belted out by the England crowd at St Jakob-Park.
'It is going to be crazy,' she said of the reception back home. 'I hope the whole of England comes out to support us and shows their love to these girls as they deserve it.'
The Lionesses, who lost to Spain in the 2023 World Cup final, have talked about legacy in Switzerland.
'It's a huge moment. Every girl out there with that dream – you can do it,' she said. 'Keep shooting for the stars.' - REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Safee says clubs must play a more active role in nurturing homegrown talent
Interview bekas pemain bola sepak kebangsaan yang juga Presiden PFAM untuk ruangan Metropolitan amp, Obses. 28 JUNE 2023一CHAN TAK KONG/The Star PETALING JAYA: Malaysian football great Safee Sali is hopeful that the upcoming Super League season will serve as a springboard for emerging local talent - players who could one day lead Harimau Malaya on the international stage. Concerns have been raised recently over the lack of youth involvement in top flight football, with just 11 per cent of first-team starters aged between 20 and 24. This trend has stirred anxiety, particularly within national team circles, as preparations for the 2030 World Cup qualifiers intensify ahead of the next phase in 2027. Safee believes clubs must play a more active role in nurturing homegrown talent under national coach Peter Cklamovski's long-term vision. "The influx of foreign players has lifted the league's quality but local youngsters need minutes," he said. "We want to see new faces breaking through, gaining experience, making their mark." As someone who once carried Malaysia's attacking hopes, Safee knows the value of trust and game time. Now 41, the former striker is calling on clubs to look beyond short term gains and toward building a sustainable future for Malaysian football. "We have to think bigger - how the league can feed into the national team. That's the ultimate goal." Ahead of the new campaign, Safee pointed to several developments that have piqued his interest. Among them is the return of Brunei's club to the competition, strengthened by the arrival of striker Syafiq Ahmad. "It's refreshing to see Brunei back. With Syafiq joining them, it adds flavour to the competition and raises the bar," he added. He is also keen to watch the resurgence of clubs like Selangor, Negri Sembilan, and perennial powerhouse Johor Darul Ta'zim - all of whom will be looking to assert their dominance in the revamped top flight. All eyes will be on the curtain raiser - the Charity Shield clash between JDT and Selangor at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri today. For Safee, it's more than just an opener - it is a benchmark for the league's competitive edge. "These early matches show where our football stands - in terms of intensity, quality, and ambition. It sets the tone for what's to come."
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Soccer-Arteta calls Arsenal's defending 'naive' after Villarreal loss
Soccer Football - Friendly - Arsenal v Villarreal - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - August 6, 2025 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra (Reuters) -Arsenal were naive in their defending and paid a painful price, manager Mikel Arteta said after his side's 3-2 friendly defeat against Villarreal left them with back-to-back pre-season losses. Arsenal, who started their preparations for the new season with victories over AC Milan and Newcastle United before losing to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, found themselves trailing 2-0 inside 33 minutes against Spanish side Villarreal at the Emirates on Wednesday. "Today I think the result is painful. I think they were super efficient but we've been naive, especially the way we have defended in open spaces and that's something that, especially the way we play, we have to absolutely nail," Arteta told reporters. "Today we haven't been good at all in that department and that has cost us the game for sure." Arteta, however, was pleased with what he saw from striker Viktor Gyokeres, who completed his 63.5 million euros ($74.14 million) switch from Sporting last month, after handing the 27-year-old Swede his first start in an Arsenal shirt. "I think it was very important for him to start a match and start to have the feeling and the connection with the team," Arteta said. "He's been with us only a week or so, but I really saw a lot of things and a lot of purpose, especially the way he was attacking certain spaces." Arteta also heaped praise on highly rated 15-year-old attacking midfielder Max Dowman, who won a penalty for Arsenal. "He continues to impress, without a doubt. The impact he had in the game again today, the efficiency that he shows in every attack and action, it's incredible," the Spaniard added. ($1 = 0.8565 euros) (Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Christopher Cushing)
Barnama
2 hours ago
- Barnama
JDT Ready For Selangor Clash- Munoz
ISKANDAR PUTERI, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) are ready to kick off the 2025/2026 Malaysia League (M-League) season in style as they set out to defend their Charity Shield title against Selangor FC at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium, here tomorrow night. Head coach Xisco Munoz, who will make his debut with the Southern Tigers tomorrow, believes his team are mentally and tactically prepared to rise to the occasion after a good pre-season in Spain. The 44-year-old Spaniard said JDT owner Tunku Mahkota Ismail played a key role in smoothing the team's preparations ahead of their title defence. bootstrap slideshow 'The most important also is we need to understand it's our first game at home, we need to connect with the fans, we need to connect with our style and we need to give our best. 'I think we are in a good way. We made very good pre-season (preparations) and we need to continue to improve a lot of things but we are in a good way,' Munoz told the pre match press conference here, today. JDT enjoyed a promising pre-season in Spain, which included credible draws against Spanish side Levante UD and English League One outfit Cardiff City. Meanwhile, JDT captain Natxo Insa also admitted that a quality pre-season has helped strengthen the 11-time consecutive Super League champions and put them on the right track to defend their title. 'I think we had a really good pre-season in Spain. We faced some strong teams and tomorrow we're aiming to give our best because we know how important it is to start the season with the right momentum. We need to carry forward the energy we've shown since pre-season into the match,' the 39-year-old midfielder said. JDT have lifted the season-opening silverware nine times, including seven consecutive editions between 2018 and 2024.
