Kelly issues response to doubters after Euro 2025-winning penalty
Kelly had come on for the injured Lauren James after 40 minutes and delivered a pinpoint cross to assist Alessia Russo for the equaliser in the second half.
It was yet another decisive impact at Euro 2025 from Kelly, who has seen her fortunes transform since joining Arsenal on loan in January this year.
'There were a lot of tears at full-time, especially when I saw my family because those were the people that got me through those tough dark moments,' she reflected.
'That's a story to tell someone that experiences something similar, tough times don't last.
'Just around the corner was a Champions League final, won that. Then a Euros final, won that. Thank you to everyone that wrote me off, I'm grateful."
"England are crowned queens of European football again!" 😍
Re-live it all! 👇🍿
Having started the domestic season at Manchester City, Kelly found herself outcast from the squad and struggling to get minutes even as a substitute.
But a post on her Instagram story in January stating she wanted to be 'happy again' forced a loan move to Arsenal on deadline day.
Having been dropped by England, the following months saw her earn a starting spot in north London and force her way back into favour with Sarina Wiegman, for whom she had plenty of praise.
'She's bloody amazing. She's an incredible woman, what she's done for this country, we should all be so grateful for,' said Kelly.
'What she's done for me individually, she gave me hope when I probably didn't have any. She gave me an opportunity to represent my country again. I knew that I had to get game time and representing England is never a given.
"But what she's done for the women's game, not just in England, in the Netherlands she's done it, she's taken it to a whole other level.
'The work doesn't go unnoticed from the staff behind her, they're incredible people and I'm so grateful to have worked with such amazing staff members.'
And the Arsenal forward has truly repaid Wiegman's faith in her this tournament.
Her 78th-minute introduction in the quarter-finals against Sweden proved decisive as she delivered an assist just over 60 seconds after coming on, before setting up the equaliser just two minutes after that as England drew 2-2.
In the semi-finals, too, Kelly scored the winner to send England through to the final and while her introduction came far earlier at St. Jakob Park against Spain, her impact was not reduced.
With a knack for delivering in the biggest moments, having scored the winner at Wembley in 2022, she once more stepped up with an assist for the equaliser and a match-winning penalty fired into the top left hand corner.
Having done it all before, her celebration was as cool as it gets for a championship winning goal, but the moment still meant everything to the forward who has capped off a fairytale story of redemption.
'I just came onto the pitch and wanted to make something happen. I know Less [Russo]'s strengths and just wanted to put the ball on her head,' Kelly reflected.
'Of course, taking the penalty, I actually missed three penalties in training yesterday but the belief in the squad, in the whole 23 players and the staff members to get us through this tournament.
'I'm really proud to be English right now and I'm proud to be part of an amazing group of girls.'
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