England and Gotham FC defender Jess Carter has opened up about the profound emotional turmoil she experienced after receiving racist abuse online during the Lionesses' successful Euro 2025 campaign, and the difficult decision to confront it publicly.
The Weight of Abuse and a Shattered Bubble
The Guardian's Footballer of the Year for 2025, an award recognising remarkable achievement and overcoming adversity, Carter found her mental fortitude tested after England's opening 2-1 defeat to France. While checking her Instagram direct messages—something she rarely does—she was confronted with vile racist comments. "It just really devalues you," Carter explains. "It makes you question everything about yourself."
Normally resilient, Carter says the abuse hit differently due to a dip in her own confidence on the pitch. "Having that lack of confidence and then getting the abuse meant the impact was totally different," she admits. The 28-year-old, who is not typically an anxious person, was consumed by worry. "I remember not wanting to go out at all in between games," she recalls, seeing potential for confrontation in every stranger.
A Sister's Intervention and Team Solidarity
The abuse persisted after subsequent games, including the 6-1 win over Wales. It was after a penalty shootout victory against Sweden, where Carter felt she had contributed to conceded goals, that a pivotal moment occurred. Finding another wave of hateful messages, her sister saw her reaction and pushed her to act.
Initially resistant, fearing extra scrutiny and doubting any action would be taken, Carter's perspective changed when her sister posed a crucial question: What would she advise younger Black teammates like Lauren James, Khiara Keating, or Michelle Agyemang to do? "I was the oldest player of colour there, I felt a sense of responsibility," Carter states.
She confided in the England leadership, head coach Sarina Wiegman, and her teammates. The squad collectively decided to issue a statement condemning the "online poison" and to stop the pre-match gesture of taking a knee, which the players of colour felt had lost its value. Carter also posted on her own Instagram, stating she was stepping back from social media and that targeting race was unacceptable. A man has been summonsed to court on 9 January following a police investigation into the messages.
From Relief to Redemption on the Pitch
Sharing her burden with the team was transformative. "The moment I’d spoken to them I just felt like a massive weight was lifted off my shoulders," she says. This was followed by a tactical decision from Wiegman to drop her for the semi-final against Italy—a move Carter describes feeling "instantly relieved" about, highlighting the mental toll the abuse had taken.
Her trust in Wiegman's judgement was repaid when she was told she would start the final against Spain, a surprise given her self-assessment of inconsistent form. The night before the final brought unprecedented anxiety, but Carter adopted a pragmatic mindset: "If we win we’re going home, if we lose we’re going home." England triumphed in a penalty shootout, securing a second consecutive European Championship.
Carter then returned to the United States, where she helped her NWSL club, Gotham FC, secure the league title. Her move from Chelsea, driven by a search for happiness over mere trophies, had culminated in a historic double. Reflecting on the tournament's penalty drama, Carter notes the disproportionate scrutiny faced by Black players, stating "black players get scrutinised for it more" for the same mistakes, adding an immense layer of pressure.
Jess Carter's journey through Euro 2025 was one of profound personal challenge, courageous vulnerability, and ultimate sporting triumph, solidifying her status as a figure of resilience in modern football.
