Jess Carter on Racism Amid Euro 2025 and Fan Vlogs Capture Football's Raw Emotion in Championship Drama
Jess Carter publicly addressed the racist abuse she received during England's Euro 2025 campaign, revealing the emotional toll and anxiety it caused. The abuse began after England's opening defeat to France, including racist messages in Instagram DMs and on X. A police investigation resulted in a man being summoned to court on 9 January 2026 over social media messages sent to Carter. Alongside her England teammates, Carter condemned the online abuse and the team collectively decided to stop taking a knee during the Euros. She coordinated with the leadership group and coach Sarina Wiegman, starting in the Euro 2025 final against Spain and appearing in extra time added time.
Following the tournament, Carter transferred to Gotham FC in the NWSL, utilizing her US citizenship through her father. She left Chelsea in search of greater happiness, and with Carter, Gotham FC achieved its second NWSL title in club history.
In related football culture coverage, fan vlogs are highlighted for capturing the most human moments in football, offering unfiltered emotion from celebrations to heartbreaks in concise clips. This is exemplified in a Championship match where Portsmouth defeated Charlton Athletic 2-1 at Fratton Park. Though Charlton’s Harvey Knibbs equalised in the 96th minute, Portsmouth’s Yang Min-hyeok scored the winning goal in the 98th minute, ending Charlton’s 20-year unbeaten run at their home ground.
Two vloggers, Tom Arch and Charlie “BigBadBraz,” recorded the atmosphere from the away end, documenting fan reactions such as jubilation, disbelief, and chants. A bystander, Paul Davenport, also captured goading by Charlton supporters from the home end, illustrating the mixed crowd dynamics. While some view vlogging as performative, authentic moments in injury-time drama are difficult to fake, underscoring the value of mobile footage in preserving memories from 2025 events, including key moments at Wembley and other finals.
This coverage situates fan vlogging amid broader debates over modern football broadcasting, where the desire for visibility can fuel sensational content but genuine emotional moments remain central. The preservation of fan-centered and personal records through these vlogs enriches football culture by offering alternative narratives that shape how matches are remembered.
