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Chloe Kelly dazzled at the Harper's Bazaar sportswoman of the year awards night on Thursday, with the Lionesses hero putting aside the blazing row engulfing the national team. The 27-year-old, who scored the winning penalty as the Lionesses beat Spain at last summer's Euros, wore an eye-catching backless jewelled gown with a hood attached as she picked up the top prize of the night. Flanked by her proud husband Scott Moore, the partner of England's hero was eclipsed as Kelly's No 1 fan by Spice Girl Mel C, who roared the footballer on as she posed with her award on the red carpet. Kelly's triumphant night played out to the backdrop of a civil war in women's football following Mary Earps' explosive claims rival goalkeeper Hannah Hampton was afforded preferential treatment by boss Sarina Wiegman. Ex-England goalkeeper Earps recently published a book in which she claimed she told Wiegman she was 'rewarding bad behaviour' by recalling rival Hampton into the squad. Earps dramatically stepped away from the England set-up just five weeks before this summer's European Championships and accused Hampton of 'frequently risking derailing training sessions and team resources’ in her book. Kelly is yet to give her take on the controversy. Twice named the best goalkeeper in the world, Earps was England's established No 1 goalkeeper during Euro 2022 and the 2023 World Cup, while Hampton acted as the Lionesses' back-up. However, in October 2022, months after the Euros, Hampton made headlines after it was claimed she had been dropped by Wiegman amid concerns over her attitude and conduct. Referencing the incident in her book, Earps said: ‘It affected us all in a domino effect to an extent that was extremely unusual in a successful elite team environment.’ Hampton, 24, later reflected on the fallout and told Elle magazine in June: ‘It was harder to find that fight in me to prove people wrong, but somehow I managed it. ‘I had all my friends and my family around me at the time to guide me in the right direction and keep me going. It’s worked out for the best – I’ve got a lot to thank them for.’ Earps, who does not specify what Hampton’s behaviour entailed, claims in the autobiography that Wiegman consulted her when Hampton was recalled to the national squad in 2023 - and told her that ‘everyone deserves a second chance’. In April 2025, Wiegman named Hampton her first-choice goalkeeper over Earps, a decision which prompted the former Manchester United star to announce her international retirement just weeks later. According to Earps, she was told that Hampton was 'a little bit ahead of her' and that there was 'nothing she had done wrong'. The goalkeeper went on in her book to detail how she was left 'extremely disappointed' by the decision - and how she told Wiegman that she 'could have been more direct and honest' in her assessment of the situation. She says her disagreements with Hampton boiled down to 'a misalignment of values. Hampton went on to play a key role in the Lionesses winning the Euros, beating Spain in the final on penalties.
