With the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year approaching, here are three reasons why Chloe Kelly deserves to win.
Kelly is one of six nominations for the annual award after an impressive year which started with game time issues yet ended with two trophies and plaudits for her exploits at the UEFA Women’s Euro.
It is therefore appropriate to take stock of why Kelly earned her nomination and deserves to potentially win the award.
Fans can vote for the winner during the 2025 BBC Sports Personality of the Year ceremony on Thursday 18 December.
Turnaround in Form
Kelly began 2025 out in the cold at Manchester City and struggled for game time with just three starts in 11 matches for Man City in the first half of last season, during which she played a full match just once which surely was alarming given her talent and need for regular game time ahead of the Euros.
Speculation soon grew that Kelly was keen on a move to cross-city rivals, Manchester United once her contract expired in the summer, yet City loaned her to Arsenal where she rediscovered regular first-team football in which she produced two goals and five assists in 13 appearances.
That improved form in the second half of last season also saw Kelly help Arsenal clinch their second UEFA Women’s Champions League title, having first achieved the feat in 2007.
Impact Substitute at UEFA Women’s Euro
Kelly subsequently signed permanently with Arsenal on a free transfer ahead of the Women’s Euro to prevent any in-tournament speculation, in a move which paid dividends as an impact substitute with no starts at the tournament.
The 27-year-old had enjoyed quiet substitute appearances in England’s three group matches yet come the Quarter-Final, she raised her game as she set up Lucy Bronze’s header to half the Lionesses’ deficit against Sweden, before another cross from her was nodded down by Beth Mead for Michelle Agyemang to put away to restore parity.
England eventually grinded out the comeback victory in one of the most tense penalty shootouts that any England fan had endured.
Kelly once again dug England out of another mess in the semi-final after they fell 1-0 down to Italy as fellow substitute – Michelle Agyemang equalised at the death, before Kelly sealed the comeback in extra time with a rebound winner after her penalty was saved.
If Kelly and fans thought that England had learned their lessons from those two ‘get out of jail’ escapes from the jaws of elimination, the final had other ideas as she found herself brought on as a first-half substitute with the Lionesses 1-0 down the Spain.
She however went on to set up Alessia Russo’s equalising header akin to how she had set up Bronze’s header in the Quarter-Final, before she proved to be England’s hero with the winning penalty to clinch a first major title on foreign soil for a senior England team.
This however was the third major title that Kelly had clinched for England after she scored an extra-time winner against Germany at their home Women’s Euro in 2022, followed by the winning penalty against Brazil in 2023 Women’s Finalissima.
On that note, you can’t doubt her significance in England’s title defence and importance in those huge moments when fate is looking stacked against the team.
Never Say Die Attitude
If look at Kelly’s 2025 in context from the start of the year when she lacked game time to now being a Women’s Champions League winner with Arsenal and part of England’s successful title defence, you can’t help but love her ‘never say die’ attitude to fighting for that successful spot in the Lionesses squad.
It is that attitude which makes the greatest British sport stars stand out especially when they had faced adversity which Kelly clearly did in terms of game time in a season leading up to the Euro, yet she responded through talent and graft on loan at Arsenal to secure her spot and subsequent success.
Her nomination is also notable in contrast to Beth Mead and Mary Earps‘ successful nominations in 2022 & 23 because she was an impact substitute, which brought additional pressures to turn games around whereas Mead and Earps were respective starters at 2022 Women’s Euro and 2023 Women’s World Cup.
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