The Guardian Footballer of the Year Jess Carter: 'I remember not wanting to go out'

Jess Carter, an English professional footballer, has spoken about her experience of racism and abuse during the 2025 European Championship. She revealed that she had been subjected to racist abuse from France fans during a group stage match against France, but her team manager, Sarina Wiegman, supported her throughout the tournament.

Carter said that she felt isolated and alone after speaking out about the abuse, but was relieved when her teammates rallied around her in support. She also spoke about how she struggled with anxiety and panic before the final match against Spain, but managed to channel those emotions into a successful game.

In addition to her experiences on the pitch, Carter has also spoken about the challenges of being a black woman in football. She noted that there is a "real thing" about players of color facing added pressure when taking penalties, and that they often have to filter out distractions while trying to score.

Overall, Carter's story highlights the importance of support and solidarity from teammates and coaches, as well as the need for greater awareness and action against racism in football.
 
Just read that Jess Carter was subjected to racist abuse from some French fans πŸ€•πŸ˜‘. Poor girl, she felt so isolated and alone after speaking out, but thankfully her team manager Sarina Wiegman had her back πŸ’ͺ🏼. You can't imagine how tough it must've been for her before the final match against Spain, struggling with anxiety and panic... πŸ˜¬πŸ’†β€β™€οΈ. And on top of that, she's got to deal with the pressure of being a black woman in football πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ. Players of color often have to filter out distractions when taking penalties, it's just not fair πŸ˜”. The whole situation is super worrying and it highlights how much more work needs to be done against racism in football πŸ‘ŽπŸ’”
 
It really makes me sad πŸ˜” to hear about Jess Carter's experience with racist abuse during the Euro 2025 Championship. It's like, you're already under so much pressure on the pitch, and then you have to deal with that kind of negativity from fans... it's just not right 🀬. But what's even more inspiring is how her team manager and teammates came together to support her, showing that there's still good people in this world who care πŸ’•. And I think it's so important for Jess to be speaking out about the challenges she faces as a black woman in football - it's not just about being better or worse, it's about creating a more level playing field 🏟️. We need more stories like hers to help bring about change and make our sports world a more inclusive place 🌎.
 
I'm so proud of Jess Carter for speaking out about what she went through πŸ™ŒπŸ’ͺ It's amazing that Sarina Wiegman was there to support her, that's what we all need more of - a strong team and coach who got our backs πŸ’• I feel like Jess is right, being a black woman in football can be tough, but it's time for us to raise awareness about the added pressure she faces on the pitch 🀝 And omg, anxiety before the final match? I've been there too 😬 it's crazy how we can channel our emotions into something amazing, like Jess did ⚽️ We need more players speaking out against racism and we need to listen and support them πŸ’—
 
😊 I'm so glad Jess Carter spoke out about what she went through during the European Championship. It's crazy that she had to deal with racist abuse from fans - can you even imagine? 🀯 The fact that her teammates came together to support her is honestly super inspiring, it shows that solidarity matters in sports and beyond.

But what really stood out to me was when she talked about how black women in football face added pressure on the pitch. I think this is a huge issue that needs to be addressed, not just in football but in all areas of life. We need more players like Jess who are willing to speak up and bring attention to these issues.

I'm also loving the fact that she's able to channel her anxiety and panic into her game - it's amazing how our minds can work! πŸ’ͺ Anyway, kudos to Jess for being a trailblazer and speaking out against racism in football. We need more of this kind of courage and conviction. πŸ™Œ
 
Can't believe what she went through during that tournament πŸ€―πŸ’”. I'm so glad her team manager was there to back her up, it's like they say, 'when one of us suffers, we all suffer' πŸ‘«. It's crazy how some fans can be like that, completely ruining the game for everyone else πŸ™„. I feel bad for her and all the other players who have been in similar situations. We need to do more to stop racism in football, it's just not right πŸ’ͺ. And I love how she spoke about channeling her anxiety into a good game, that takes so much courage 😊.
 
🀯 I'm so frustrated right now... Jess Carter sharing her experience with racism and abuse is just devastating πŸ€•. It's not acceptable that she felt isolated after speaking out - we need to create a culture where people feel comfortable reporting this stuff, you know? 😞 And it's even more sad that black women players face extra pressure on the pitch πŸ†. Like, can't they just focus on the game without having all these extra stressors? 🀯

But what really got me is how Sarina Wiegman supported her throughout the tournament πŸ’ͺ. That kind of solidarity is so important for players who are going through this stuff. We need more coaches and teammates to speak out against racism and offer support to those who need it πŸ’•.

It's crazy that it still takes a player speaking out like Jess Carter to bring attention to these issues πŸ“£. But I'm glad we're having this conversation now, because maybe next time, someone won't have to go through what she did πŸ˜”.
 
Can't believe some ppl still think it's okay to be a racist towards others just 'cause they're on the pitch πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ. Jess Carter's story is so relatable, I've seen it happen 2 friends of mine who are players too... you feel like u r walking on eggshells the whole time πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ. But what I think is even more shocking is that some ppl still don't realize the pressure that players of colour face in football... added stress of being black and taking a penalty, it's not just about kicking the ball 😩. Glad to see Sarina Wiegman supporting Jess throughout the tournament tho πŸ‘, we need more people like her who get it πŸ™Œ.
 
πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ I mean can you believe it? A black woman having to deal with racism on the biggest stage in football... it's just not right 😩. I'm glad she spoke out, though - it needs to be said, and Jess Carter is a total boss for doing so πŸ’ͺ. And to think some fans were cheering her on from the stands while she was getting abuse πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ... it's just crazy.

I feel like there's still so much work to be done in football to tackle racism and create a more inclusive environment. I love that Jess is speaking out about the pressure players of color face when taking penalties, though - it's not just about scoring goals, it's about being able to focus πŸ™…β€β™€οΈ.

The most important thing, though, is that Sarina Wiegman and her teammates were there for Jess throughout. That support system makes all the difference 🀝. We need more of that in football and beyond πŸ’•.
 
πŸ€• this is so frustrating I feel like it's getting better but some fans still think its okay to be racist 😑 towards players just because they're not white or aren't born in the right place... Sarina Wiegman should get a huge thank you from every woman and girl who plays sports for supporting Jess Carter through that tough time πŸ’–

I can only imagine how scary it must've been for her to deal with all that abuse on the pitch 🀯 and then have people telling her she's being too sensitive or being a "sore loser" πŸ™„... it's like, no, girl, you're a victim of racism and that's not okay πŸ’β€β™€οΈ

I'm also worried about the added pressure Jess said players of color face when taking penalties... like, why can't we just give all players the same respect and support regardless of their skin color? πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ it's time for football to become a more inclusive and supportive space for everyone πŸ‘
 
I'm really glad Jess Carter is speaking out about her experiences with racism and abuse during the Euro championship πŸ™. It's a huge step forward that she felt comfortable sharing her story, even if it was tough to talk about afterwards πŸ˜”. I think it's amazing how Sarina Wiegman supported her throughout the whole tournament - it shows that there are people in positions of power who truly care about their players' well-being πŸ’•.

At the same time, I can imagine how hard it must've been for Jess to feel isolated and alone after sharing what happened. But it's awesome that her teammates came through with some much-needed support πŸ€—. It makes me think we need more of these kinds of stories coming out, especially from players who are brave enough to speak up about their experiences 😊.

One thing that really got me thinking is how the extra pressure on players of color when taking penalties can be a real game-changer. It's not just about the football itself, but also about the mental and emotional toll it takes πŸ€”. We need to keep having these conversations to make sure everyone has an equal chance to shine on the pitch πŸ’«.
 
I'm still trying to wrap my head around Jess Carter's experience 🀯... I mean, can you even imagine being on that pitch with all those people yelling racist stuff at you? It's like, what do you even do? 😱 But the thing is, she didn't back down. She spoke out and her team manager, Sarina Wiegman, was all about supporting her πŸ™Œ. That's what it's all about, right?

And can we talk about how hard it must be to deal with that kind of pressure? I mean, not just on the pitch, but off too... being a black woman in football can't be easy, you know? πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ The added pressure when taking penalties is real, and she's talking about it like it's no big deal. But it shouldn't be, right?

I think what I love most about this story is that it's not just about Jess Carter being a strong woman or whatever... it's about the system, you know? It's about how football can be both empowering and suffocating at the same time 🀯. We need to keep pushing for more awareness and action against racism in football. Period. πŸ‘
 
I'm so sorry to hear about Jess Carter going through that πŸ˜”... I mean, I was watching the Euro 2025 matches with my mates and we were all like "what's going on?" when we saw her get abused by some fans 🀯... but it's good to see that Sarina Wiegman stepped in and supported her πŸ’•...

I don't think many people realise how tough it must be for black players to deal with, you know? Like, they're already under so much pressure to perform and stuff, and then you add racism into the mix... πŸ€”... I'm glad Jess is speaking out about it though, because maybe it'll help make things better in the future πŸ’–...

I was talking to my friends about this yesterday and we were like "what's wrong with people?" πŸ˜‚... I mean, can't they just be supportive of each other? πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ... anyway, good on Jess for being brave enough to speak out, and also on her teammates for having her back πŸ’ͺ... πŸ‘
 
OMG, I'm so proud of Jess Carter!!! πŸ™Œ She has every right to speak out about the racist abuse she faced and I'm glad her team was there to support her πŸ’•. It's not easy being a black woman in football, but she's showing us all that with hard work and determination, we can overcome any obstacle 🀩. The pressure on players of color is REAL when it comes to penalties, let's make sure to create more opportunities for them to shine ⚽️! Sarina Wiegman is an amazing manager, too - she must be doing something right πŸ’ͺ. We need more people like her in football and beyond, spreading love and support wherever they go ❀️.
 
πŸ€” I'm glad Jess Carter spoke out about her experience with racism during the European Championship... but can't we just be more specific about what happened? Was it just verbal abuse or was there physical intimidation too? πŸ’¬ And I get that Sarina Wiegman supported her, but didn't the FA have to do something more to address the issue? Like, didn't they have protocols in place for dealing with racism on the pitch?

And while I'm all for greater awareness and action against racism, let's not forget that Jess Carter is still an amazing footballer who deserves to be celebrated for her skills, not just her platform. πŸ’ͺ It'd be great if we could focus on both the systemic issues and the individual heroes like her who are making a difference.

It's also interesting that she brought up the pressure of being a player of color... I think we need more conversations around how that affects our mental health and performance on the pitch. 🀝
 
πŸ€• OMG u wont believe wat Jess Carter went thru during dat Euro 2025 🀯 She was literally gettin abused by some french fans but her gurl Sarina Wiegman had her back πŸ™Œ And after speakin out, she felt like she was all alone πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ But guess what? Her teammates showed up and supported her! πŸ’• That's the kinda squad spirit we need more of in football. I mean, its so true about players of color facin extra pressure when takin penalties 🀯 And its crazy wat kinda distractions they have to filter out just to score πŸ™„ Anyway, cant wait 2 see what happens next in the football world πŸ‘€
 
πŸ€• Man, this is so sad... I feel bad for Jess Carter, she was put through so much crap during that tournament... 😩 Racism and abuse on the pitch? It's like, what even is that? πŸ™„ And to be isolated after speaking out about it? That's just harsh. But at the same time, I'm so proud of her for speaking out and not letting it get to her. And Sarina Wiegman supporting her throughout? πŸ’ͺ That's the kind of solidarity we need more of in football.

And can we talk about how hard it is being a black woman in football? 🀯 The pressure to perform, the distractions... it's like, I feel for Jess and all the other players out there who are going through this. But you know what? I'm also kinda inspired by her strength and resilience. 😎 She was able to channel those anxious feelings into a successful game? That's like, mental toughness right there! πŸ’ͺ
 
πŸ€• I'm still getting chills thinking about Jess Carter's experience. As a parent, it breaks my heart to think that our kids have to go through this kind of abuse on the pitch. I mean, can't we just make sure everyone is safe and respected? 🚫 My daughter plays sports too, and she talks about how nerve-wracking it is to be different from her friends. It's like, yes, your color is a part of who you are, but that doesn't mean you have to face extra scrutiny on the pitch. We need more role models like Sarina Wiegman, showing our kids that they can speak up and still be supported. πŸ’–
 
πŸ€• "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." πŸ’” - Edmund Burke 😒 It's heartbreaking to hear about Jess Carter's experience with racism on the pitch 🏟️. As a black woman in football, she faces unique challenges and pressures that can be really tough to deal with. πŸ‘©β€πŸ€ We need more support like Sarina Wiegman showed her - it makes all the difference! πŸ’ͺ
 
🀝πŸ’ͺ This is just so frustrating! I mean, I'm glad Jess spoke out about what she went through, but it's crazy that she felt isolated after sharing her story πŸ€•. I think we need to create a culture where people feel safe to speak up about racism, not be shamed for it πŸ’”. And it's even more disappointing that the France fans thought it was okay to abuse her in the first place 😑.

As someone who loves football, it breaks my heart to see players like Jess having to deal with this kind of stuff πŸ€•. We need to do better, especially when it comes to supporting our female players πŸ™Œ. I'm so proud of Jess for speaking out and for her amazing performance in the final match πŸ’ͺ! Let's keep pushing for change and creating a more inclusive sport 🌟πŸ’₯
 
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