Kelly the effortless England icon steals the show... again

Super substitute's self-belief forced move to Arsenal that has since catapulted her back to being key for the Lionesses

- Jonathan Liew

It was Chloe Kelly's wedding anniversary yesterday. We know this because she posted about it to her 1 million Instagram followers, because everyone saw her personalised shin pad adorned with her wedding photo, and because she joked last week that she still hadn't got her husband, Scott, a card.

But then Kelly has always had a rare gift for catching the eye. Her shirt-waving celebration at Wembley remains the defining image of the Euro 2022 triumph. Her trademark headband renders her instantly recognisable in a squad full of above-average-height blond women. Her hop-skip penalty run-up is unique.

In a profession where many are naturally wary of being seen to court attention, Kelly is luxuriantly comfortable with being the focus of your gaze. As her teammate Esme Morgan puts it: "She just doesn't really care what people think."

Being England's unashamed icon and an effortless content generator comes with clear off-pitch benefits. Be real: who here can name the wedding date of any other Lioness? Who here can imitate a typical Lauren Hemp penalty run-up? How many Jess Park goal celebrations have you seen commemorated in a tattoo? But of course the benefits can be felt on the field too, and so far this month England have been merrily reaping them.