Mural of Lioness Chloe Kelly unveiled in Manchester to recognise her record-breaking penalty
The mural has been unveiled to celebrate women’s football. (PR handout)
A mural of Lioness Chloe Kelly has been unveiled in Manchester’s Northern Quarter to recognise her record-breaking penalty.
The 2,774-square-foot mural launched on 15 February celebrates the England women’s national football team and Manchester City star.
The moment depicted in the mural harks back to when the forward footballer delivered a penalty in the Women’s World Cup against Nigeria which was more powerful than any shot recorded in the top England men’s football tournament in 2022/23, according to Sportbible.
That year, England went on to play against Spain in the Women’s World Cup 2023 final. But the Lionesses sadly lost out on a World Cup win to Spain’s La Roja.
The mural was commissioned by Doritos as part of its campaign to “crunch” stereotypes in sport and beyond. The brand found in research conducted by Opinium that just one in six UK adults believe that the record kick was set by a woman.
The research also confirms that almost a quarter of UK adults want women athletes to be celebrated more, with just three out of 240 statues of sporting stars recognising women. One in three Brits admit to having never seen a statue or monument of a women athlete in the UK. Women in particular feel the imbalance of celebrated sporting stars, with 39% feeling that men are still more celebrated in sport, regardless of their success.
Elsewhere, the study found that UK adults understand the importance of self-expression, with 70% believing it’s important to feel comfortable expressing who they are.
Lioness and Manchester City footballer, Chloe Kelly said: “To have a mural created in my honour and just down the road from the Manchester City training ground is totally surreal. Being a woman has never held me back from following my dreams, and that should be the same for every other girl out there.
“It’s not men’s football or women’s football, it’s just football, and everyone deserves a chance to get out there, enjoy ourselves and pursue our passions, no matter what stereotype is put on us.”
