In the build-up to Euro 2022, Chloe Kelly had been sidelined for almost a year and her hopes of making the England squad for the European Championship on home soil were in the balance.
Fast-forward three years and the forward was a two-time winner of the tournament, having delivered the finishing blow for the Lionesses in both finals.
And according to one of Kelly’s old coaches, the pre-Euro 2022 ACL injury changed her as a player - for the better.
Kelly's former coach on her game-changing injury recovery
Kelly joined Manchester City in 2020 after turning down a new contract at Everton and continued her impressive form with the Citizens, earning a place in the PFA’s WSL team of the year for the second consecutive season.
“That year we’d signed Lucy Bronze and some more top-quality players, so we weren’t expecting as much as Chloe produced straight away,” remembers Alan Mahon, the club’s former assistant coach.
“She hit the ground running. We didn’t want to put too much pressure on her, but she took the reins herself. Chloe is quite independent and just went about her business day to day.
“We had top players – Keira Walsh, Georgia Stanway, Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood, Lucy – but she fitted in straight away, and got on with people thanks to her personality. It was an easy transition for her.”
But Kelly’s end-of-season ACL injury against Birmingham would sideline her for almost a year, putting her in a race against time to be fit for Euro 2022.
“Coming back from an ACL is key because it builds resilience,” says pundit Lucy Ward. “An ACL is a difficult injury – it’s a very slow and intricate recovery.
“Then there’s the mental side of it, too. That changed her – when she came back, she looked fitter and stronger.”
Kelly was able to return for action in time to make seven appearances for City, scoring twice and laying on three assists, which were enough to convince Sabrina Wiegman to name her in the squad for the Euros. Kelly would then do the rest.
