Former England footballer Karen Carney has had a successful career both on and off the pitch and is now aiming to make her mark in national TV history as she advances to the semi-finals of Strictly Come Dancing. The former Birmingham City Women’s star and football pundit has won over fans on the popular dance competition, impressing judges alongside her dance partner Carlos Gu. She hopes to replicate her footballing triumphs and add another feather to her cap this Saturday night.
Despite making it to the final four, the 38-year-olds’ 60s-inspired psychedelic samba earned them 34 points, placing them at the bottom of the most recent leaderboard. However, it was enough to secure their spot in the esteemed semi-finals. Carney boasts an impressive record, having competed in four World Cups, four European Championships, and the London Olympics. This led her to become England’s third-most capped player with 144 appearances, earning her an OBE in 2024.
Despite her recent success and acclaimed footballing skills, there was a time when her sporting career was tainted by controversy. She received a one-match ban and fine for telling an opponent to “f*** off back to Spain”
This incident occurred during a Women’s Super League match in July 2014 between Birmingham City and Bristol Academy, where Carney and Natalia Pablos Sanchon were involved in a series of heated exchanges towards the end of the game.
The Football Association’s investigation found Carney guilty of misconduct for using abusive and/or insulting words towards an opposing player. She was also fined £450 and ordered to complete an education programme.
However, Carney has not allowed this incident to tarnish her legacy and has since gone on to become a key advocate for the sport she dedicated herself to, chairing the government’s review into the future of women’s football in 2022, pushing for better pay, facilities and overall standards.
Working as a pundit, she has received unprecedented amounts of abuse, most notably in December 2020, when her comments about Leeds United resulted in thousands of abusive and sexist messages being sent. An event which led to the deletion of her Twitter account, and she later admitted to having suicidal thoughts during this time.
Carney has not let the wave of online abuse deter her whatsoever as she continues to display the resilience and determination she showed on the pitch to keep working within football and combating online abuse whilst excelling all the way to the Strictly final four.
