Chloe Kelly’s 110km/h penalty, surpassing the most powerful shot in last season’s Premier League, walloped England to an astonishing second consecutive Euro Championship.

From the Streets of Southall to back-to-back Euros Champ: The Meteoric Rise of Chloe Kelly

As Chloe Kelly strolled off St. Jakob-Park in Basel with her Euro 2025 winners’ medal, she belted to the cameras, “The first time was so nice, we had to do it twice.” For the second consecutive Euros, the 27-year-old’s actions were decisive in leading England to glory. However, it hasn’t always been this easy.

West London-born Chloe Kelly grew up just a stone’s throw away from Wembley Stadium. She’s the youngest of seven siblings, with five brothers. Chloe was rarely without a ball at her feet, and the fundamentals of her game — flair, pace, and dribbling technique — were all crafted in the football cages in Windmill Park in Southall.

Scouted whilst playing in Hanwell, she signed with Arsenal’s Centre of Excellence at the age of twelve. She rose through their youth ranks and made her full debut for the Arsenal first team in the 2015 Continental Cup against Watford, scoring her first goal just 22 minutes into the match. However, after finding first-team opportunities difficult to come by, she opted for a loan move to Everton in 2016 before making a permanent switch the following season.

Ankle injuries plagued Kelly’s 2018 season, but after undergoing surgery, 2019 marked a turning point in her career. She scored nine goals in twelve games for Everton during the 2019–20 season, helping the club climb the table to sixth place. This success also cemented her status in the national team.

After rejecting a new contract from Everton, Manchester City came calling. In her debut WSL season, she produced an impressive return of 10 goals and 11 assists. However, a devastating ACL knee injury sustained after scoring two goals in the first half against Birmingham City sidelined her for 11 painful months.

Despite this major body blow, Chloe Kelly clawed her way back into contention for the EURO 2022 selection and secured her place in English football history. On July 31st, 2022, she poked home an extra-time goal to secure a 2–1 victory over Germany in the UEFA EURO 2022 Final at Wembley Stadium.

Chloe’s remarkable resilience was once again demonstrated when she left Manchester City in search of regular football to retain her place in the Lionesses squad. She returned home to Arsenal, where she helped them win the UEFA Women’s Champions League title. Now, just two months later, she has netted the winning penalty as England retained their title, defeating World Champions Spain. It’s Chloe’s world.

Bordering on the Right Side of Confidence

Chloe’s career hasn’t been a steady trajectory to stardom, with many bumps in the road. Looking back, she expressed pride in her journey, acknowledging that she thought about giving up the game when first team football seemed so far away, but she realised that prioritising her mental health was crucial.

In February, Sarina Wiegman left Kelly out of her squad for the Nations League games against Portugal and Spain. At the time, Kelly hadn’t played football since mid-December after falling out of favour at former club Manchester City. Despite the actions of her former club, she responded cheekily in her post-final press conference, saying, “Thank you to everyone who wrote me off; I’m grateful.”

This fresh perspective, bordering on the right side of confidence, was evident as she declared, “I don’t miss penalties twice,” when referring to her penalty that was briefly saved in the semi-final against Italy.

Under Sarina Wiegman, the Lionesses have won all four of their penalty shootouts, with Chloe Kelly scoring the winning spot kick in three of those. Before the final, England team-mate Lucy Bronze praised her, saying, “She’s been doing it week in, week out. She just has this attitude and confidence that I don’t think you can buy.”

Some people are naturally suited for the spotlight, and Chloe Kelly is one of those individuals. England defender Esme Morgan observed that Kelly seems to thrive in those moments when the team needs her to deliver a standout performance. “Pressure, what pressure!” Kelly bellowed in front of thousands of fans at the Mall in London today during the homecoming celebration.

England appeared destined to win the EURO 2025 title. Staggeringly, they only led for a mere 4 minutes and 52 seconds throughout the entire knockout stage. Kelly’s impact was monumental, scoring a goal, providing two assists, and converting two penalties in two shootouts, all achieved through substitute appearances.

Nerves of Steel: The Penalty Technique Behind Chloe Kelly’s Timeless Moments

Chloe Kelly’s penalty technique has been widely discussed. While her hop, skip, and jump may seem unnatural and uncharacteristic of a traditional penalty taker, she manages to generate so much power that it becomes almost impossible to save.

Her penalty technique can be broken down into four distinct parts.

1. Composure: At the top of her run-up, Kelly takes a deep breath, allowing her to reset and dial in on the spot kick.
2. The Hop: She momentarily lifts her left leg before springing forward with her right.
3. The Skip: As she lands, she bursts into a three-step run-up.
4. The Thump: On the fourth stride, she connects with the football with unstoppable force.

Not only is the run-up deceptive, but the hop generates the power that builds throughout each part. We’ve seen many different versions of run-ups over the years. For example, former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Jorginho comes to mind. His ‘hop’ differs significantly from Kelly’s in that his featured at the end of his run-up, which reduced power but increased deception. This meant many goalkeepers were often rooted to the spot, as the ball was casually rolled into either corner.

Interestingly, Kelly struggles to explain the origin of this habit. Ultimately, though, confidence is arguably the most crucial factor in taking a successful penalty.

Honourable Mentions That Matter

England’s successful Euros weren’t solely due to Chloe Kelly’s performance. Hannah Hampton’s story truly inspired me. Despite being told she’d never play professional sports due to her strabismus, Hannah defied the odds and became a European Champion, saving two crucial penalties in the shootout. Tragically, her grandfather also passed away two days before the start of the competition, but Hannah carried his memory on the inside neckline of her shirt throughout the tournament.

Michelle Agyemang was named UEFA Young Player of the tournament after her equaliser deep into added time against Italy in the semi-final. Lucy Bronze played the entire tournament despite a fractured tibia. Leah Williamson made history as the first England captain to win a trophy on foreign soil. Sarina Wiegman also achieved a milestone, becoming the second coach to win three successive editions of the Women’s EURO, with victories in 2017, 2022, and 2025.

Chloe Kelly has achieved incredible success, and her popularity has reached national levels. Children across the country will be practising the hop, skip, and thump technique over the summer holidays, perhaps even sporting the trademark headband too.

That’s probably worth more than a winner’s medal, inspiring a generation of assured, creative, and unflappable boys and girls.