Chloe Kelly praises team who brought her back from long-term injury after Euro 2022 winner
England's hero Chloe Kelly thanked the team who helped her recover from a serious cruciate ligament injury after firing her country to Euro 2022 glory.
Kelly came off the bench to score a 110th-minute winner, her first goal for England, and give the Lionesses a 2-1 win against Germany in the final at Wembley.
After Ella Toone's opener had been cancelled out in normal time by Lina Magull, the 24-year-old forward poked home from close range to spark euphoric scenes at the national stadium as England went on to win a major tournament for the first time.
The Manchester City striker sustained a right ACL injury against Birmingham in May 2021 and spent well over a year on the sidelines, and only got back to first-team action in April.
"Thank you for everyone who played a part in my rehab. I always believed I'd be here, but to be here and score the winner, wow. These girls are amazing," said Kelly.
"This is amazing, I just want to celebrate now."
Kelly was more interested in singing Sweet Caroline than answering questions in her flash TV interview, but did say this was her dream growing up.
"Oh my God, look at them, it is amazing, thank you to every single person that supported us," she said on the BBC, indicating the crowd in the background. "This is unreal… Sweet Caroline!
"It's amazing, thank you everyone, this is what dreams are made of, as a young girl watching women's football. Wow, this is unbelievable."
England's maiden success has been masterminded by Sarina Wiegman, who has now won back-to-back European Championships after her 2017 success with the Netherlands.
The Dutchwoman said: "We won the cup. It is unbelievable. It is incredible.
"If you really want to win and become better every single day, that is what I have noticed, and it is incredible, they want to do it together.
"We agreed on a couple of things about behaviour and they weren't just words, we lived it. The game was so tight, there was a little bit of fight in there, but who cares, we won 2-1. We are European champions.
"We broke through barriers against Spain and we had to do it again. I don't have any secrets. I don't think I have realised what is going on, I need some time."
Amazing night for football tonight, here's that moment Chloe Kelly scored, a goal will all remember forever.
— Yorkshire Bylines (@YorksBylines) July 31, 2022
And with 22 goals they also take the title of most goals ever scored in the Euro finals from, wait for it.......Germany. #Lionesses pic.twitter.com/Gfjt5nemdg
After the tournament produced record attendances, including the highest ever in a European Championship final, England captain Leah Williamson wants the success to mean something in the future.
She said: "The legacy of this tournament is a change in society, it is everything that we have done, we brought everybody together, we got people at games.
"We want them to come to WSL games, the legacy is this team are winners and that is the start of a journey."
Williamson also described victory as "the proudest moment of my life".
"I just can't stop crying," she said on BBC One.
"Something like this, we talk and we talk and we talk and we finally did it. It's about doing it on the pitch and I'll tell you what, the kids are all right.
"It is the proudest moment of my life until the day I have kids I suppose. I am taking everything in, every piece of advice was take every single second in so I can relive it forever. I'll be reliving that for a long time."
She said: "The legacy of this tournament is a change in society, it is everything that we have done, we brought everybody together, we got people at games.
Beth Mead won the Golden Boot and was named player of the tournament, 12 months after she was left out of Team GB's Olympic squad for the Tokyo Games.
"I can't believe it, sometimes football puts you down but bouncing back is the best way and that is what we have done," she said.
"I am speechless, I can't take it all in, I am still in shock. I can't believe we've won it, I just can't, it's mad.
"I am so, so proud of this team. I love this team and I love this country."