Rupture to rapture for Chloe Kelly after beating injury to fire Euro winner

As a child growing up in Ealing, west London, Chloe Kelly would catch a number 92 bus to Wembley on FA Cup final day to buy a matchday programme and feel the “vibe” around the stadium.

On Sunday evening she sent that same stadium into raptures with the winning goal in the Euro 2022 final against Germany, just four months after returning to action from injury.

No wonder then that, in her own words, Kelly “just went mental” in celebration, pausing briefly to make sure the goal had been given before wheeling away and pulling off her shirt, twirling it above her head in frenzied delight.

Her initial post-match interview was equally entertaining, the 24-year-old managing 23 words before running off, microphone still in hand, to join in with the chorus of Sweet Caroline reverberating around the stands.

But on her return Kelly was quick to thank all the people behind her moment in history, starting with those involved in her rehab following the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament sustained in May last year.

It was a crushing blow which ruled Kelly out of the Olympics and she could not bear to watch her team-mates compete in Tokyo before beginning the long road to recovery.

After 11 months out, Kelly returned action on April 2 and had just six weeks to convince England head coach Sarina Wiegman that she was worth a place in her provisional Euro 2022 squad.

“When the squad was announced, Chloe was the first one I wanted to see to congratulate,” said former Manchester City team-mate Lucy Bronze.

“Because I was there in the dark days, when we were both on the bike, almost in tears, sweating, struggling, watching the other girls go and play, play for England, play at Wembley. We were missing out on so many games.

“Obviously I came