England's hero Lionesses to ‘rake in £80m' after Euro 2025 triumph as two top stars tipped for I'm a Celeb and Strictly

The Sun

3 days ago

Grant Rollings, Feature Writer
Published: Invalid Date,
THEY battled their way to Euros glory in a dramatic penalty shootout - and now England's brilliant Lionesses are set to strike it rich off the pitch.
Following their history-making victory against Spain, the likes of captain Leah Williamson and Chloe Kelly are now the nation's most in-demand stars, with the talented squad tipped to enjoy a deserved £80million windfall this year in money-spinning brand and TV deals.
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Brand and culture expert Nick Ede thinks that success on the football field for England's women means they could be even more in demand than the men off it.
Super sub Kelly, who coolly slotted home the crucial penalty in Sunday night's European championship final, has already said she'd love to appear on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
While winger Lauren James and Williamson are now in the same league as Lionel Messi, having starred in a Walkers crisps advert with the Argentinian superstar.
Fashion brands, sportswear companies and glossy magazines are all desperate to be associated with the glamorous team who love to party.
Nick tells The Sun: 'In many ways the Lionesses should be in more demand than the men, because they are winners. They have won the Euros twice.
'Their currency is going to be much much higher now.
'The advantage they have over the men is that they have an appeal across the genders. Men like them and women want to be them.
'They could make between £50million and £80million."
But as with the men's footballers, not all of the first team will become TV stars like Gary Lineker or commercial powerhouses like David Beckham.
Nick says: 'Collectively as Lionesses they can be making a lot of money, this is their time to shine.
'They could be the next Alex Scott, who is now a bona fide presenter on the One Show, or Jill Scott who was on I'm a Celebrity. But with every team you only get a few stand out stars.'
Here we look at which Lionesses will be the big winners off the pitch.
Chloe Kelly
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With her hop and skip run-up penalty technique and iconic goal celebrations, Chloe knows how to make an impression.
The 27-year-old forward, who scored the winner in the 2023 final for England, always plays with a smile on her face.
And she wants to bring that bubbly attitude to television as well by following former England midfielder Jill Scott onto ITV's I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
Chloe said: "I don't think I would do well like Jill. I think Jill is so bubbly and the challenges just didn't phase her. But I think I'd enjoy it - probably more so.''
The Arsenal player is already worth an estimated £2.5million, having signed a £1.5million deal with Land Rover.
Nick says: 'I am sure Strictly Come Dancing and all the major reality shows will be eyeing Chloe. Out of all of them she seems to be the most famous.'
She has modelled for Calvin Klein and worn Prada and Versace for photoshoots.
Chloe has overcome adversity this year, having been frozen out of the Manchester City first team following an injury.
She said her 'mental well-being' had suffered due to a 'character assassination' and switched to Arsenal on loan.
Leah Williamson
The England captain is believed to be the highest earning Lioness, having raked in £4million so far.
The defender is being compared to the men's 1966 World Cup-winning captain Bobby Moore.
Fashion house Gucci took note of her glamorous appearance, making Leah a brand ambassador, while Calvin Klein asked the star to model their underwear.
The 28-year-old Arsenal legend has also struck deals with Walkers crisps, Nike, Pepsi and Aston Martin.
But she is a self-confessed 'introvert' who spent much of her free time at tournaments sleeping rather than socialising.
That means it is unlikely we'll be seeing Leah on reality TV.
Nick says: 'The big bucks are in longevity, getting a regular presenting show.'
Lucy Bronze
The veteran defender revealed that she played the whole of this summer's Euros with a leg fracture.
That keep calm and carry on spirit is sure to make her a hit on challenge TV shows.
Nick says: 'The injured leg story will push her to the forefront. Her heroics will propel her to get more jobs and more success.
'She is such a go-getter she'd be great for challenge shows like I'm a Celebrity and SAS: Who Dares Wins.'
Lucy, 33, whose middle name is Tough, said: 'I've been in a lot of pain. If that's what it takes to play for England, that's what I'll do.'
She earned an estimated £200,000 a year while playing at Spanish giants Barcelona and is worth around £3.5million.
The Chelsea player led Sports Direct's Legacy Starts Here TV ads and has endorsed VISA, Spotify, and Rexona.
Hannah Hampton
Until this summer, the 24-year-old goalkeeper was not a household name.
But Hannah's two saves in the penalty shootout against Spain in the Euros final has turned the Chelsea player into a hero of the nation.
Many people told Hannah she wouldn't make it as a goalie because she had an eye condition that affects depth perception, but she proved them wrong.
Hannah, who has over 300,000 Instagram followers, is yet to appear in any major adverts.
That, though, is sure to change.
She is likely to eclipse England's former number one Mary Earps, who won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2023.
Nick says: 'Players like Hannah can be great role models and influence future generations.'
Alessia Russo
With Spain 1-0 ahead at half time in the final, England needed an equaliser and Alessia was the striker who scored the crucial goal.
The tenacious 26-year-old star plays with a smile on her face and that has made her popular with advertisers.
Her earnings in 2023, when she won the Euros with England, were believed to be £2million. Alessia has struck lucrative deals with Adidas, Gucci, PlayStation and Beats by Doctor Dre.
The outgoing player appeared at the BAFTA TV Awards in May, is a regular at London Fashion Week and has appeared on the cover of magazines.
She has a podcast with her England team mate Ella Toone called the Tooney & Russo show.
Being an engaging talker is important.
Nick says: 'There is a real trend for women being brand ambassadors. In tennis Emma Raducanu showed how much you can earn by being a winner.
'There are speaking opportunities that are lucrative, whether it is corporate or brand.'
Lauren James
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An injury curtailed Lauren's final, but the attacking player scored one of the goals of the tournament in the group stages.
The 23-year-old Chelsea forward is eclipsing her brother Reece James, the defender who plays for England.
Lauren appeared with Leah in the Walkers crisp advert which was often on TV during the commercial breaks.
She has also made an advert for Pepsi, alongside David Beckham, worn Nike clothing and promoted Optimum Nutrition.
With nearly 900,000 followers on Instagram she is clearly building up a recognition under the name J10, which is similar to Cristiano Ronaldo's CR7.
It is only with off the field deals that Lauren will be able to overtake her brother financially.
Lauren earns £350,000 a year at Chelsea, while Reece earns £250,000 a week for the same side.
Nick says: 'They need to maximise on their success at the Euros because they are not as well paid as the men.'
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