Former England footballer Karen Carney has had a successful career both on and off the pitch and is now aiming to make national television history by reaching the semi-finals of Strictly Come Dancing. The former Birmingham City Women’s star and football pundit won the hearts of fans in the popular dance competition, impressing the judges alongside dance partner Carlos Gou. She hopes to repeat her soccer victory and add another feather to her cap this Saturday night.
Despite making it to the final four, the 38-year-olds scored 34 points with their psychedelic 60s-inspired samba, leaving them bottom of the latest leaderboard. However, it was enough to secure a spot in the prestigious semi-finals. Mr. Carney boasts an impressive track record, having participated in four World Cups, four European Championships, and the London Olympics. This took her to 144 appearances, making her England’s third-most capped player and earning her an OBE in 2024.
Despite her recent success and highly regarded soccer skills, there was a time when her sporting career was tainted by controversy. She was suspended for one game and fined for telling her opponent to “go back to Spain.”
The incident occurred during a Women’s Super League match between Birmingham City and Bristol Academy in July 2014, when Carney and Natalia Pavlos Sanchon had a series of heated exchanges towards the end of the match.
A Football Association investigation found Carney guilty of misconduct for using abusive and insulting language towards opposing players. She was also fined £450 and ordered to complete an education programme.
But Ms Carney has not allowed the incident to tarnish her legacy and has since become a leading advocate for the sport she is dedicated to, chairing a government review into the future of women’s football in 2022 and pushing for improvements to pay, facilities and overall standards.
As a pundit, she has received an unprecedented amount of abuse, most notably in December 2020, when her comments about Leeds United led to thousands of abusive and sexist messages being sent to her. This incident led to her deleting her Twitter account, and she later admitted to having suicidal thoughts during this period.
Undeterred by the wave of online abuse, Carney continued to demonstrate the same resilience and determination he showed on the pitch, continuing to work in football and battling online abuse to reach the final four of Strictly.
