England defender Jess Carter has opened up about her deep concerns during the Euro 2025 tournament, revealing the intense Jess Carter Racism Fears she experienced in the high-pressure knockout stages. She admitted that she feared her teammate Lauren James would face “astronomical” racist abuse if she had been the only player to miss a penalty in the quarter-final shootout against Sweden.
The match in Zurich went to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout. James missed England’s second spot-kick, but she wasn’t the only one to fail. Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood, and Grace Clinton, all white players, also missed their penalties. In the end, England still managed to win the shootout and went on to beat Spain in another penalty shootout in the final.
For Carter, there was a strange sense of relief when others missed after James. She stressed it wasn’t about hoping for teammates to fail, but about the reality of Jess Carter Racism Fears and the brutal online abuse that could have been aimed solely at James if she had been the only one to miss.
“It’s horrible to say, but it was almost like a sigh of relief when other players who weren’t black missed a penalty,” Carter told ITN. “The racism that would have come with LJ [Lauren James] being the only one that missed would have been astronomical. It’s not because we want them to fail, it’s about knowing what it’s going to be like for us [black England players] if we miss.”
Past Abuse and the Toll on Players
Carter’s concerns were based on painful history. Lauren James, now at Chelsea, has faced racist abuse in the past, in 2021 while at Manchester United and again in 2023 with Chelsea. Jess Carter herself became a victim of vile online abuse during the Euro 2025 tournament, adding to the weight of Jess Carter Racism Fears.
The Football Association (FA) took swift action, working with UK police to track down those responsible. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham condemned the behaviour, calling it “abhorrent,” and confirmed it had been reported to law enforcement.
For Carter, the words cut deep. “It makes you feel really small,” she said. “It makes you feel like you’re not important, like you’re not valuable. It makes you second guess everything that you do. It’s not a nice place to be, and it doesn’t make me feel confident going back onto the pitch.” Her statement shows how Jess Carter Racism Fears can impact a player’s confidence and mental state.
The abuse didn’t just affect her, it also devastated her family. “My family was devastated and so sad,” she shared.
To shield herself, Carter stepped away from social media during the tournament. Still, the kindness and support from England fans lifted her spirits. “That support meant everything,” she said, showing that positive messages can counterbalance Jess Carter Racism Fears, even if only partly.
The issue is not new. Other England players, like Lucy Bronze and James, have also spoken about how abuse increases as women’s football becomes more popular. For black players, that means success is often shadowed by the worry of online hate if they make a mistake, a reality at the heart of Jess Carter Racism Fears.
Fear Before the Final
The England women’s team has made changes in how it addresses racism. They decided to stop taking the knee before matches after manager Sarina Wiegman said the gesture’s impact was “not good enough.” Yet despite this united stance, Jess Carter Racism Fears remained strong before the biggest game of her career.
When Wiegman told Carter she would be starting in the Euro 2025 final, her reaction wasn’t excitement, it was fear.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever been scared, too scared to play,” Carter admitted. “It was a mix of playing in such a big game, but also being scared about the abuse that might come with it, whether it was about my football or racial abuse if I made a mistake.” These words perfectly capture the heavy emotional load tied to Jess Carter Racism Fears.
Her experience highlights how high-pressure games bring extra challenges for black players. While every player worries about performance in a final, those with Jess Carter Racism Fears also carry the dread of what could happen online afterward.
England’s Euro 2025 victory was a moment of joy for the nation, but Carter’s story proves that the fight against racism in football is far from over. The relief she felt when others missed penalties, the emotional toll from past abuse, and the anxiety before the final show that progress isn’t only about winning trophies — it’s also about creating a safe environment for every player.
Until the sport fully addresses the issues behind Jess Carter Racism Fears, the mental and emotional burden on black players will remain as much a part of the game as the football itself.
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