Six months before the Euros, it looked like Chloe Kelly would not make the squad. She was barely playing for Manchester City, and a sour relationship with the manager meant she was not selected for international duty.
At City had to compete with Mary Fowler and Albany Fujino for her place and had only accumulated 165 minutes across six fixtures for an average of 27.5 per game.
Asked in November when that lack of regular minutes might become a concern on an England front, Wiegman didn't beat around the bush. "I think it's a concern right now," she replied, eight months from the Lionesses' European title defence.
The relationship further broke down, and contract talks stalled. Her contract was running out, and she wanted to leave; she made her feelings heard.
There was talk of interest from Manchester United in a loan move for Kelly, which City were unwilling to sanction. "To be dictated who I can and can’t join with, only four months left of the football season, is having a huge impact on not only my career but my mental well-being," Kelly wrote on Instagram. "The situation has dragged on for too long; it’s disappointing and not right. I am human, and I have and will give everything to the game that I love. Ultimately, I want to be happy again.”
On the last day of the transfer window, she forced a loan away from a club that mistreated her to ensure she got enough minutes to board that flight to Switzerland.
Her first games at Arsenal were not easy. She could not play the first two as they were against City, her parent club, but that was not all. She was cup-tied for the clash with London City Lionesses.
Due to this, Sarina Wiegman, England manager, had to drop her in February as she had not played since Christmas. She said: "She hasn't played enough," the Lionesses boss explained. "Last autumn, she hardly played and, as I said, she built some credit, but over that time, she only played for a few minutes."
"We had a good conversation yesterday, and she understands. She's not out for the Euros," Wiegman added. "Get started at Arsenal, get some minutes in, start playing and showing what you're about, and then we can revisit that."
However, this did not last, and she was called up late to England camp with one appearance for the goodness after Beth Mead withdrew.
Her first start for the Gunners was nothing short of picturesque, with a goal and an assist to return 3-1 to win 4-3 against West Ham.
After Real Madrid in the Champions League, she delivered two assists in a 3-0 win to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg. It was the first time in seven years that any team in the competition knockout stage had staged such a comeback
By the end of the season, Kelly had started nine of Arsenal's final 14 games - unavailable for two of the five she didn't - and registered two goals and five assists in that time.
She went home to Arsenal, fell in love with the beautiful game again, and won the Champions League.
She later signed a permanent deal with the club and got her ‘smile back’.
Kelly was selected for England. She made two crucial assists with 12 minutes remaining in the quarter-final clash with Sweden when England trailed 2-0 to take the game to extra time—the queen of super-subs.
She netted a penalty to keep England's hopes alive in the penalty shootout.
She scored off the rebound penalty against Italy in the semi-final to take England into a back-to-back Euros final.
For example, in 2022, he scored the winner, this time a spot-kick in a penalty shootout, to win the title.
First player ever to score the winner at back-to-back Euros, Chloe Kelly's winning penalty against Spain was clocked at 110km/h - faster than the most powerful shot in the men's Premier League last season - scored by Alexander Isak
Once Kelly had received her gold medal, she kissed it before turning to the camera and mouthing: "F***ing come on!"
“There were a lot of tears at full-time, especially when I saw my family, because those are the ones who got me through those dark moments," Kelly said after Sunday's final.
"I am so grateful to be out of the back end. If that's a story to tell someone, then maybe experiencing something exactly, tough times don't last.
“Just around the corner was a Champions League final, won that, and now a Euros final, won that. So, thank you to everyone who wrote me off. I'm grateful.
Prince William told Chloe, "That kick was no nonsense. Well done, you. Honestly, it was fantastic."
From doubted to deliverer, from hated to loved, the character arch and journey Chloe Kelly has been on is a story of hope, desire, determination, and putting oneself first.
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