As the subjects of two truly iconic images in women’s soccer history, Chloe Kelly and Brandi Chastain had to get together for the perfect salute.
Following the U.S. women’s national team’s 2-1 loss to England, Kelly and Chastain — whose celebrations of scoring in the finals of Euro 2022 and the 1999 World Cup, respectively, are defining photos of those triumphant events — did the only thing that made sense: they swapped jerseys.
Kelly played all but the final seconds of England’s win, and not long after nearly 80,000 fans shuffled out of Wembley, she and Chastain met up on the touchline, and the USWNT legend was ready with a new kit carrying her name and the number six she wore for years.
Kelly said after the match that her inspiration was actually a completely different goal, citing Bobby Zamora’s strike for Queens Park Rangers in 2014, but the similarities between her celebration and Chastain’s were undeniable. Kelly scored a dramatic extra-time goal that eventually became the winner for England, capping off a summer where the Three Lionesses got center stage and seemed to capture the entire country’s attention.
Chastain ended up being a worldwide sensation after pulling her jersey off after netting the winning spot kick in the 1999 final, a moment that sparked massive growth in women’s soccer in the United States. There’s a distinct sense that England’s success could also function as an accelerant for the game in the UK.
Chastain had quickly recognized Kelly’s celebration, tweeting her congratulations and urging her to “enjoy all the free pints and dinners for the rest of your life.” Apparently that list of gifts also includes a USWNT jersey.
See Kelly and Chastain swap shirts
Game recognizes Game. @brandichastain 🤝 @Chloe_Kelly98 pic.twitter.com/KMY9n2I684
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) October 7, 2022
[lawrence-related id=5472,8056,8026]