England defender Jess Carter openly revealed her fear that Lauren James would face severe racist abuse if she alone missed a penalty in the Euro 2025 quarter-final shootout against Sweden. This highlights the racial abuse Black women footballers still face.
Chelsea forward Lauren James missed England’s second penalty in Zurich. Other players, including Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood, and Grace Clinton—all white—also missed their penalties. England won the shootout and later beat Spain in the final on penalties.
Carter told ITN: “It’s horrible to say but 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 [Lauren James] being the only one that missed would have been astronomical.”
Lauren James and Jess Carter Have Faced Online Racism Before
Lauren James suffered racist abuse online during her time at Manchester United in 2021. She faced similar abuse again while playing for Chelsea in 2023. Carter also received racial abuse during the tournament. The Football Association (FA) worked with police to find those responsible.
Carter described how the abuse affected her: “It makes you feel really small. It makes you feel like you’re not important, that you’re not valuable. It makes you second guess everything you do—it’s a very hard place to be.”
FA and England Team Took Strong Action Against Abuse
FA chief Mark Bullingham called the abuse “abhorrent” and said the FA referred the cases to UK police during the tournament. After facing online attacks, Carter stepped away from social media. She said the support from England fans meant “everything” to her.
The England team stopped taking the knee before matches. Manager Sarina Wiegman said the gesture’s impact was “not good enough.”
Carter admitted the abuse made her anxious before the final: “That was the first time I was scared—too scared to play. It was partly due to the match’s importance but also fear of abuse after, whether football-related or racial abuse because I made a mistake.”
Jess Carter’s candid words highlight the urgent need for stronger action against racism in football. They stress the importance of protecting players from abuse.
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