Chloe Kelly said her time on loan in Arsenal “a smile back” on her face after their women's Champions League triumph over Barcelona on Saturday.
Kelly played 68 minutes in the final in the Estadio Jose Alvalade, a match in which replacement Stina Blackstenius scored the winning goal for the Gunners.
It was indeed the second victory of Arsenal in the competition, and their first in 18 years, the biggest gap between two trophies for a single club in the history of the tournament.
Kelly enjoyed a productive campaign during her stint with Arsenal, after he joined the club on the Deadline Day from Manchester City in January in January.
The International of England hit a fight with city boss Gareth Taylor due to a lack of playing time, in which a passionate social media post was placed on her frustrations.
She even considered taking a break from football together, but Kelly expressed her joy in the pursuit of her career, ending in the Champions League title.
“I said I came to this club to find happiness with football and I have a medal on my neck,” an emotional Kelly told Jo Currie of BBC Sport.
“Every day I enter the club, I smile. They put the smile back on my face, so I will be grateful for that forever.
“I have taken a step to try to make things better for myself and I am grateful for the people around me who have supported me to take that step. This one is for everyone who helped me.”
Morning Gooners pic.twitter.com/6bcSPS58PY
– Chloe (@Chloekelly) 25 May 2025
Kelly appeared 13 performances in all competitions since the re -assembly of Arsenal, scored twice, while also helping the Gunners to make second place in the Super League for women.
“Absolutely above that,” added Kelly, who scored the winning goal of England in the Euro 2022 final, added where the victory is.
“The journey that it made to get here, it was definitely a fight.
“Now to celebrate this moment with the girls, with Arsenal Football Club, but also my family who has been there so far through the dark days, I am just very grateful.”
Match winner Blackstenius was disbelief by what her team had achieved, with her introduction perhaps the final in favor of Arsenal.
Despite the fact that they only played in the showpiece for 23 minutes, the Swede-Total Totals registered for Schoten (three, including her goal) and touches in the opposition box (five).
“I am so happy that I could give a goal today. They said I had to try to run behind and try to stretch them, but this is again a big, big team performance,” said Blackstenius.
“I am so proud of our journey, how we came here and how we managed the game today.
“I just can't believe it, everything. It is such a team performance from the beginning to the precise.
“I just can't believe we have won the Champions League, and we can celebrate, it hasn't sunk yet.”
23 – Despite playing only 23 minutes in the @UWCL -Final, Stina Blackstenius …
… had the most photos for Arsenal (3, including the goal) … made the most details in the Barcelona (5) box … made only 3 steps but completed them all
Sub. pic.twitter.com/a6rq3rfvjy
– Optajoe (@Optajoe) May 24, 2025
Arsenal -captain Kim Little had the feeling that it was the year of Arsenal to win the Champions League.
The year after the inaugural European victory in 2007, Little joined the Noord -London club and praised her team to hold their game plan against the title defender.
“It felt like our year, and the game today was the same. It went our way. We played the game as we wanted, and it went our way,” Little told TNT after the game.
“In the other games we had two legs, so we had time to adjust. Today we knew it was one game and we had to implement our game plan.
“We had to stop them and manage the space well, and the whole team did that incredibly well today, I am so proud.”