Jess Carter Reflects on Racist Abuse and Team’s Euro 2025 Victory

England defender Jess Carter has shared her feelings about enduring racial abuse during the Euro 2025 tournament, revealing she took a break from social media after receiving a flood of racist messages. Despite this, she played the full match in the Lionesses’ 3-1 victory in the penalty shootout against Spain in the final.

Carter, who plays for Gotham FC in the US, described the abuse as “violent and aggressive,” and admitted she feared for her teammate Lauren James when she missed a penalty during the quarter-final against Sweden. James, of Grenadian and Dominican heritage, was the first to miss in the shootout, followed by Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood, and Grace Clinton.

In an interview, Carter expressed relief when a white teammate missed a penalty, fearing the racial backlash if James had been the only one to miss. She explained, “It’s almost like a sigh of relief when other players that weren’t Black missed a penalty, because the racism that would have come with LJ being the only one that missed would have been astronomical.”

The player also shared her fears about competing in the final, citing the racist abuse she faced online. She revealed that coach Sarina Wiegman had initially wanted to select her for the final, but Carter was overwhelmed by anxiety, fearing more abuse and feeling “really small” and unimportant due to the racist messages.

Jess Carter played a vital role in England’s Euro 2025 success.

She recounted how the abuse extended beyond social media, with vicious messages claiming her performance was because of her race. Carter emphasized the toll such racism takes, making her feel less confident and deeply hurt her family.

Carter announced her decision to step back from social media to protect herself from further abuse.

Team veteran Lucy Bronze condemned the racist comments, highlighting that abuse against players of color has increased as women’s football has grown. The team has also moved away from taking the knee, saying the gesture has lost its impact.

Carter acknowledged her sister’s role in inspiring her to publicly address the abuse, stating, “If it was your niece or nephew, what would you want for them? Why should I stay silent?”