England Defender Jess Carter Targeted with Racial Abuse During Euro 2025

England defender Jess Carter revealed she has been subjected to racial abuse online during the Women’s European Championship, despite England advancing to the semifinals at Euro 2025. Carter, 27, faced harsh criticism following her performance in England’s opening loss to France, with some of the backlash escalating into racist attacks.

“From the start of the tournament I have experienced a lot of racial abuse,” Carter said in an emotional post on Instagram on Sunday. “Whilst I feel every fan is entitled to their opinion on performance and result I don’t agree or think it’s ok to target someone’s appearance or race.”

Carter, who has earned 49 caps for England and was part of the Euro 2022 winning squad and the 2023 World Cup runner-up team, announced she would take a step back from social media for her mental well-being. “As ever I am grateful for all of the support from the genuine fans but I am taking this measure to protect myself in a bid to keep my focus on helping the team anyway I can,” she added.

The Football Association confirmed it had contacted UK police in response to the abuse. “Our priority is Jess and giving her all the support she needs,” said FA CEO Mark Bullingham. “We strongly condemn those responsible for this disgusting racism.” He also noted that the FA is working with law enforcement and the relevant social media platform to identify and hold accountable those responsible.

Bullingham acknowledged that the FA has mechanisms in place for responding to such incidents due to past experiences, stating, “Regrettably, this is not the first time this has happened to an England player.”

Carter’s teammates rallied around her with messages of support, and the Lionesses issued a joint statement denouncing the “online poison.” They announced they would stop taking a knee before matches, asserting that football must find new ways to address racism. Defender Lucy Bronze elaborated on the decision, expressing doubts about the continued effectiveness of the gesture: “Is the message really hitting hard? Because to us it feels like it’s not if these things are still happening.”

Carter currently plays for Gotham FC in the United States after transferring from Chelsea last year. Gotham FC responded to the abuse with a strong statement of support: “We are heartbroken and outraged… Jess is not only a world-class football player — she is a role model, a leader and a valued part of our Gotham FC family.”

England will face Italy in the semifinals on Tuesday in Geneva after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Sweden. Spain will play Germany in the other semifinal on Wednesday.

Carter expressed hope that speaking out might deter others from engaging in similar abuse. “Hopefully speaking out will make the people writing this abuse think twice so that others won’t have to deal with it,” she said. “We have made some historic changes with this Lionesses squad that I am so proud to be part of and my hope is that by speaking out about this it will make another positive change for all.”

Lucy Bronze also highlighted a growing concern as the women’s game expands: “The bigger this sport has got, it seems to be that more abuse has come as well... especially in women’s football, the online abuse seems to be getting worse and worse.”

As Euro 2025 continues to showcase thrilling matches and breathtaking Swiss scenery, players like Carter are confronting the dark side of fame in the form of online harassment, calling for lasting solutions to protect the integrity and inclusivity of the sport.