Chloe Kelly on facing Hannah Hampton at SPOTY, iconic celebrations, and the setbacks that made her

Chloe Kelly is hungrier than ever for success after a remarkable 12 months, but she'll be celebrating at Thursday's Sports Personality of the Year awards no matter the result.

A year that started with struggles has brought a Champions League winners medal, a starring role in England's Euro 2025 win, and a place on the SPOTY shortlist.

"A year of learnings, a year of success, and a year of smiles," is, in her own words, how she will remember 2025. "I think for me, on and off the pitch, [it's been about] finding happiness and feeling in a really good head space."

In January, Kelly found herself out of favour at Man City and facing the prospect of missing the Euros as a result. The 27-year-old has been open about the mental and physical impact of that period, which left her suffering from severe anxiety and panic attacks, as well as the vital support she received from her mother, husband Scott Moore, and others.

She took control of her own fate, forcing a move to Arsenal that helped her to "break the cycle I was stuck in".

Kelly's contributions – particularly in a comeback victory over Real Madrid – were vital as the Gunners won the Champions League for the first time in 18 years, a triumph that helped her secure her spot in the Lionesses squad for Euro 2025.

The attacker would more than repay Sarina Wiegman's faith. She came up clutch with big moments off the bench and even hammered home the penalty that downed Spain and confirmed England were crowned back-to-back European champions.

It was no surprise, then, to see her named on the SPOTY shortlist alongside England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, golfer Rory McIlroy, F1 driver Lando Norris, Red Roses talisman Ellie Kildunne, and darts sensation Luke Littler.

Though it is unusual to see two teammates up against each other for the main award, and Kelly would love to follow in the footsteps of Beth Mead and Mary Earps by winning, she is clear that there's no sense of competition.

"It's actually not something we've spoken about," she explained. "Obviously, Hannah was injured on the last England camp, so we weren't able to speak.

"I think it's amazing that we're both nominated. As a Lioness, this is a proud moment; we're also in for Team of the Year as well.

"As a Lioness, you're proud to represent your country, and you just give your all for the team to be successful, ultimately. And she had an incredible summer, as we did as a group, and contributed to such success, as did Michelle Agyemang, and she's obviously nominated for an award as well, so I think it shows the success of the Lionesses.

"But, yeah, I wouldn't say competition. I think it's celebrating. I enjoy celebrating other people's success, so I'll be buzzing for every winner."

She added: "No matter the winners, it's the night to celebrate sport."

The importance of celebrating is not lost on Kelly, who has become known for her iconic celebrations in a Lionesses shirt – particularly her homages to Brandi Chastain at Euro 2021 and Thierry Henry this summer.

"I enjoy celebrating on the pitch," she admitted. "Back when I was at Manchester City, me and Bunny Shaw would always dance and enjoy that moment.

"We are in a place that we are grateful to be, and celebrating success like this was a dream for me growing up as a kid, to be in the position that I'm in, so enjoy it like you're living your dream.

"The celebrations, I didn't plan any of them, but I always said if I score at the Emirates, I'm going to do the Thierry Henry celebration.

"I didn't score at the Emirates, so I took it into the Euros and that goal (against Italy) meant so much to me, so I did the Thierry Henry celebration."

Few players have been shaped by their experiences quite like Kelly. The grit and swagger with which she plays her football can be traced all the way back to the cages of the West London estate, cages that now bear a plaque in her honour, where she grew up playing with her brothers and their friends.

But it is the difficulties that she's faced that have helped her become the calm and confident character who remained ice cool to help deliver England's summer Euros triumph.

She said: "The setbacks in my career allow me to be confident because I'm like, what's worse than them?

"I trained for this moment and it can't get worse than the situation of my ACL or how I was feeling in January. So actually, let's take this moment with both hands and enjoy it.

"I don't really take the big moments in as they're happening. I'm just like, focused, and I'm ready to take it, and then after, I'm like, wow, that was special.

"But I think I'm just focused on the job at hand and being able to be the best version of myself. Whether that's when I put the Arsenal shirt on or put the England shirt on, I just try to be the best version of myself and give my all for the team, because, actually, that was my dream to play football."

The journey that Kelly has been on and what she has achieved in 2025 is remarkable, but the Arsenal and England star ends the year hungrier than ever for more success with her teammates.

"I want to win everything and anything it's possible for me to win," she said. "The WSL, I haven't won yet, but I want to win everything that I've won already, the Conti Cup, the FA Cup.

"I'm excited to win, I'm hungry to win. I think as an athlete, as a footballer, as soon as the Euros were finished, I'm like, 'Right. Well, what can we go for next?'

"And that excitement fills me up every day, whether that's on the training pitch or whether that's in the gym. It makes me really excited, anything possible that I can win with my teams.

"I set goals on that because it feels so good and you're as hungry as ever, it seems, if not more. The taste of success is so sweet, and that makes me hungry for more. I think having that mindset, I just want to win. My mum always said I was a bad loser, so maybe that's why."

Sports Personality of the Year 2025 is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from 7pm on Thursday 18th December.

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