England defender Jess Carter revealed she was scared to leave her hotel during Euro 2025 after receiving racist messages online. The abuse, sent to her TikTok account by 60-year-old Nigel Dewale, included derogatory racial slurs and claims targeting people with brown skin. Carter, 28, says the abuse female players face “is getting worse.”
At the time, she stepped back from social media, fearing she might encounter her abusers in Switzerland. “It was quite a scary time. It totally devalues you as a human being,” she told BBC Sport.
Carter highlighted that female players often face sexism, homophobia, and racism online, and if they don’t speak up, the issue is ignored. She praised Gotham FC’s American fans for being “a lot more friendly” than in England but urged better collaboration between police and social media companies to tackle abuse.
Carter, who made her England debut in 2017 and has 52 caps, said the Euro 2025 abuse hit her confidence on the pitch like never before, even though she’s usually very self-assured.
