In the glow of victory, there was a powerful story of courage and vulnerability behind the scenes—one that England defender Jess Carter was finally ready to share.
The Lionesses had just clinched their second consecutive European Championship in a dramatic penalty shootout against Spain, but for Carter, the final wasn’t just about football—it was about facing something far darker.
The Morning of the Final Felt Different
Jess Carter admitted something many elite athletes might shy away from saying: she was afraid.
Speaking after Sunday night’s historic win, she revealed how anxiety and fear crept in the morning of the match, not just from the pressure of the final, but from the heavy emotional toll of racial abuse she endured earlier in the tournament.
“I was super scared of playing the final for the first time in my life,” Carter said honestly.
“When I woke up and saw my team, the belief from my teammates, my manager, and my family—that helped me come out and give it everything. That’s all you can do.”
Despite the fear, she stood tall. Carter was part of Sarina Wiegman’s starting line-up in the final showdown that ended with England triumphing over Spain—an emotional rematch of the World Cup final loss two years ago.
The Quarter-Final Backlash That Sparked It All
The abuse Carter faced started after England’s quarter-final win against Sweden.
Instead of celebrating her part in the victory, she was subjected to a wave of racist online attacks.
It shook her confidence so much that it nearly overshadowed her excitement about playing in a European final.
Eventually, she chose to step away from social media completely.
“From the start of this tournament, I have experienced a lot of racial abuse,” Carter wrote on Instagram.
“While fans are entitled to their opinions on performances, it’s not OK to target someone’s appearance or race.”
Speaking Out and Taking Back Control
Carter’s decision to publicly address the abuse was as brave as any tackle she made on the pitch.
“Hopefully speaking out will make the people writing this abuse think twice,” she said. “And others won’t have to deal with it.”
She also made it clear that the message wasn’t about silencing criticism.
“We’re obviously open to critics—that’s why we love the sport,” she later said, “but we’re not open to abuse.”
Teammate Lucy Bronze Speaks Out in Support
One of Carter’s fiercest defenders wasn’t just on the field—it was her teammate Lucy Bronze.
The 33-year-old full-back didn’t mince words.
She condemned the trolls and called on social media companies to take meaningful action.
“We all know that any player of colour who’s played for England has probably gone through racist abuse.
That’s a sad fact in this day and age,” Bronze said.
“We want Jess and anybody else who puts on an England shirt to be brave, to be happy when they play for England.”
Bronze added that the growing popularity of women’s football has, unfortunately, made it more of a target for toxic online behaviour.
“The bigger the game gets, the bigger the noise becomes… and the more abuse we’re seeing.
Especially in women’s football, it seems there’s a real target online.”
A Team United and Unbreakable
Despite the hate, Carter’s focus was clear—her team, her role, and her pride in wearing the England shirt.
“Giving up is not in our DNA,” she said. “We’ve stuck together from minute one.
I couldn’t be prouder of this team and I’m so honoured to be part of it.”
In the end, Carter not only helped make footballing history—she reminded the world that behind every goal, tackle, and celebration, there’s a human story.
A story of resilience, of strength, and of standing tall in the face of hate.