England defender Jess Carter has revealed she feared teammate Lauren James would face “astronomical” levels of racist abuse if she had been the sole player to miss a penalty in the Euro 2025 quarter-final shootout against Sweden.
James, who previously endured racist attacks online in 2021 and 2023, missed England’s second spot-kick in Zurich. Carter admits she felt “a sigh of relief” when white teammates Beth Mead, Alex Greenwood and Grace Clinton also failed to convert, knowing the racial abuse would have been magnified had James been the only one to miss.
“It’s horrible to say,” Carter told ITN, “but for black England players, you know exactly what comes if you’re singled out in that moment. It’s not wanting others to fail – it’s about survival.”
Carter herself was targeted during the tournament, prompting the FA to involve police. She described the abuse as making her feel “small, unimportant, and second-guessing everything,” with the impact spilling over to her family.
The 26-year-old stepped back from social media but said fan support “meant everything.” Still, the psychological toll lingered. She admitted feeling “too scared to play” in the final after manager Sarina Wiegman named her in the starting XI – not because of the occasion, but because of the potential abuse awaiting if she made a mistake.
The FA has condemned the “abhorrent” racism, while England’s decision to stop taking the knee highlighted frustration with the limited impact of symbolic gestures. Carter’s account underscores a sobering reality: for black players, the threat of racial abuse is as much a part of high-pressure football moments as the game itself.
