Jess Carter expressed deep concerns over the potential racist abuse her teammate Lauren James might endure if she were the only England player to miss a penalty during the Euro 2025 quarter-final shootout against Sweden. This fear stems from James' previous experiences with online racism in both 2021 and 2023.

Carter herself has been a target of online racism during the tournament, prompting the Football Association (FA) to collaborate with the police to identify the perpetrators. Despite these challenges, the Lionesses managed to progress and ultimately defeated Spain in the final through another penalty shootout.

In an interview with ITN, Carter shared her mixed feelings: "It's horrible to say, but it's almost like a sigh of relief when other players who weren't black missed a penalty. The racism that would have come with LJ [Lauren James] being the only one to miss would have been astronomical." She emphasized that this sentiment isn't rooted in a desire for teammates to fail but rather in an understanding of the disproportionate backlash black players face.

Carter also discussed the psychological toll of such abuse, stating, "It makes you feel really small. It makes you feel like you're not important, that you're not valuable." She recounted how the abuse affected her confidence and even her family, who were devastated by the incidents.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham addressed the issue during the tournament, referring the "abhorrent" abuse to UK police. Despite stepping back from social media, Carter found solace in the support from England fans, which she described as "meant everything."

The England team's decision to stop taking the knee before matches, as noted by manager Sarina Wiegman, reflects ongoing debates about the effectiveness of anti-racism gestures in football. Carter's experience underscores the urgent need for more robust measures to combat racism in the sport.