Chloe Kelly slammed after 'cocky gesture' in England Lionesses Euro 2025 win against Spain

England'sChloe Kelly has come under fire from the Spanish press, who have branded her "cocky" following her exuberant celebrations after netting the decisive penalty that clinched the Euros triumph for the Lionesses. The Arsenalforward's jubilant reaction to her successful spot-kick against Spain has stirred controversy.

Kelly'spost-goal celebrations have been met with disapproval by international commentators, with some suggesting her actions in front of Spanish goalkeeper Cata Coll were "unnecessary". The criticism follows her pivotal role in England's 2022 Euros final victory over Germany, where she also scored the winning goal.

Spanish publication Dario AS reported on the incident, stating: "This is unnecessary, my friend: Kelly's cocky gesture to Cata Coll after scoring the decisive penalty. The England specialist changed her run during her penalty celebration to get past the goalkeeper she had just beaten."

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This critique comes despite Kelly's immediate dash towards the jubilant England fans, which was similarly labelled as "cocky" and unwarranted.

Coming on as a substitute in the Euros final, Kelly made a significant impact, not only with her penalty but also by setting up Alessia Russo's 57th-minute leveller, which cancelled Mariona Caldentey's early strike for Spain, reports the Mirror.

Kelly, who had previously missed a penalty in the semi-final victory against Italy but managed to score from the rebound, was resolute that she wouldn't falter again. She expressed: "I was adamant I wasn't missing two on the bounce. I was cool, I was composed. I knew I was going to hit the back of the net. I don't miss penalties twice."

The 27-year-old's career with England seemed to be waning as she struggled for form and playing time at Manchester City. However, a loan move to Arsenal in January followed by a permanent transfer in July revitalised her performance, leading to significant achievements in her career.

"If that's a story to tell someone, maybe experiencing something the same - tough times don't last," she remarked. "Just around the corner was a Champions League final, won that, and now a Euros final, won that."

Kelly also praised her manager, Sarina Wiegman, saying: "She gave me hope when I probably didn't have any. She gave me an opportunity to represent my country again."

In a pointed message to her skeptics, the Arsenal ace posted on social media: "Thank you to everyone who wrote me off - I'm grateful."