Chloe Kelly hails Lionesses ability to rise to high stakes Euro 2025 pressure

Chloe Kelly believes England's 4-0 win over the Netherlands in Wednesday's must-win clash was a sign that they thrive under pressure.

Had the Lionesses lost, they would have exited the tournament before the knockouts with Wales falling to defeat to France in the later kick-off in Group D.

But Kelly insisted that the Lionesses never doubted themselves and feels they perform at their strongest when the stakes are high.

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“Pressure is good. We perform under pressure really well and we take pressure really well,” she said.

“In the changing room beforehand, we all just wanted to get back on the pitch. As soon as the game was done the other night, we just wanted the game to come very soon. We started fast and we showed a lot of character.

“It was a great reaction from the team. We knew that we weren’t at our best against France but we weren’t at our worst either.

“We knew that we have such quality in our dressing room and we showed just that today.

“We stuck together, we reacted together and everything we did, we did together so that is a proper team performance and a proper English performance.”

A 2-1 defeat against France increased the importance of a result against the Dutch but England delivered in style.

A Lauren James brace alongside goals from Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone helped them run up a thumping triumph which stands them in good stead to qualify for the knockouts if they can defeat neighbours Wales.

Manager Sarina Wiegman made two major tactical shifts from Saturday night as she switched Jess Carter and Alex Greenwood in the defensive line to move Carter back centrally.

Higher up the pitch, Ella Toone came into the number 10 role as James moved out to the right, a switch Kelly believed was key to the Lionesses’ success in Zurich.

“Our structure looked brilliant tonight. We looked really good on the ball and we looked really good off the ball,” she said.

“But we worked really hard in training to get things right and in the meeting room as well and it was really important that we did that.

“We really took the game by the scruff of the neck and from the get-go we were on everything - every first ball and every second ball. So we got in their faces and we did a great job tonight.

“Coming onto the pitch it was a lot easier. We communicated well, we pressed well and we showed a lot of grit and determination.”

It was a complete U-turn from an England side who had fallen flat against France as their performance rejuvenated the fading hopes of a title defence.

For Kelly, who scored the winner at Wembley back in 2022, that desire to prove the critics wrong lit a fire to perform against the Dutch, thought the mentality remains the same.

“I wouldn’t say there was a difference in the mentality, I think we just wanted to show a reaction. We did just that,” she asserted.

“Mentality wise, we always put on the shirt for England and want to win and aim to win but sometimes it’s just not your day and it wasn’t the other night.

“But Wednesday was and we keep building from that.”