Chloe Kelly, the Arsenal and England Lioness, is in the news yet again after a harmless “Winner Stays On” game in a BBC interview caused a meltdown on X (formerly Twitter).
Kelly gained popularity after a string of impressive performances and clutch goals helped England Lionesses win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 before she repeated the same feat in Euro 2025, scoring winning goals in both finals.
While being a great footballer, she is also known for her dirty antics. Kelly is often seen playing dirty as she’s provoking opponents on the field, acting cocky in the face of other players, and trying to aurafarm at every opportunity, something that often ends up with social media backlash.
Anytime a Chloe Kelly clip goes viral on social media, there is an endless line of fans lashing out at her in the comments, calling her a try-hard, auraless, unfunny, and cringe, among other things.
She might just be the most hated women’s footballer on Football Twitter, as fans claim her to have the “Main Character Syndrome”. Moreover, several fans think she is extremely cringe and always comes across as too loud and extra for no reason.
Over time, she has become infamous on social media for riling up fans intentionally and sometimes unintentionally with her controversial comments.
Her latest moment of controversy comes via a BBC video where Chloe Kelly is playing the “Winner Stays On” game.
Chloe Kelly was invited for an interview on the BBC after getting nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year alongside fellow Lioness Hannah Hampton, Women’s Rugby World Cup-winner Ellie Kildunne, Darts World Champion Luke Littler, F1 World Champion Lando Norris, and Masters winner Rory McIlroy.
In a clip posted on social media from the interview, she played the Winner Stays On game. Kelly is asked to select who deserves to stay among the previous Sports Personalities of the Year. The game involves the likes of David Beckham, Lewis Hamilton, Andy Murray, Tom Daley, Beth Mead, Pelé, Muhammad Ali, and Sarina Wiegman.
The part that has got Football Twitter heated up starts with the interviewer asking Kelly between Beckham and Beth Mead before adding Pele to the mix –
BBC: David Beckham or Beth Mead?
Kelly: “Oh, so hard… Beth what she done in 2022. I have to. Beckham is like everyone’s idol but Beth what she done in 2022 was special and the year she had as well.”
BBC: Beth Mead or Pele?
Pele? Oh my god, that’s tough.
Do you know what, the legend that Pele is and what he done for our sport, I’m gonna go Pele. Sorry Beth!
The clip is going viral on social media and the majority of people are spitting venom at Chloe Kelly.
The self-importance is absolutely mental pic.twitter.com/s1GwL6Y8pS
— Alrightfans MBE (@alrightfans) December 15, 2025
While some are stunned by Kelly choosing Mead over a legend like Beckham, others are baffled that she took such a long pause and reluctantly went with Pele over Mead.
@PetesTruth1: The fact she even thinks about it is embarrassing.
@TommyTook: None of the women mentioned in this video would make the bench for Accrington Stanley. That’s not even an exaggeration. We need to have a women’s vs mens games to put this nonsense to bed once and for all
@duncancareygolf: This is what happens when you live in an eco chamber and no one is allowed to criticise you.
@M1L3SM0RALL3S: Pele vs mead “that’s tough”
@sambo2690: Chloe is an absolute character, but this is wrong.
@Ri93676Ricky: Beth Mead or pele …I’ve never got so much from one line. Real comedy even saying them together
@iamKayitaMoses: I blame the people asking those questions, like by the time Pele was playing, their sport probably didn’t exist on a professional level
@Jasonboro2511: Pele or Beth Mead
this shouldn’t be a question that anyone’s ever asked in any form of life and the fact this doughnut says “that’s tough”
jesus christ
@J061028177574: Beth Mead or Pele “that’s tough”. What a load of bollocks. Jill Scott or R9 “ oh you’ve put me on there spot ere…Jill Scott for what she brings to the overlap”
@njmcfc1894: Yeah tough one, Beth Mead or Pele, get in the bin
@Emmetbrogan16: Beth mead or pele hahahahahah a that’s like asking Paul McCartney or the cheeky girls
@johnheaney2: I’d pick a dead Pele over Beth Mead
@plonkly: chloe kelly has the worst media presence bro how does someone play so well and speak act so cringe
@RPMComo: This is what echo chambers do to you. When no one is allowed to tell you that you are delusional. For fear of cancellation.
@CFCJG7: Beth Mead or Pele “That’s tough” Women’s football is shocking, how we are allowing it to get to this is insane
Although most people were raging at Chloe Kelly, some folks saw the other side of the coin and defended her for choosing her teammate who helped England win back-to-back Euros.
@j_sumner25: They are asking her to pick between her teammates and players she has never seen or met. Ask me to pick between my Sunday League team and Di Stefano and I pick my team every day of the week
@Spyre_THFC: I don’t understand why so many people have a problem with this. Beth Mead is more relevant, recent and important in women’s football than Beckham in men’s football. If you ask a woman footballer who obviously watches a lot of women’s football there will obviously be bias.
@hawkkjob: It’s her teammate. She’s laughing about it. It’s not that serious. Touch grass.
@sonixx7974: People acting like every footballer who has ever done that quiz always answered objectively and without a bias based on their personal career. Leave this girl alone, it really ain’t that deep
@JackSimmons101: The BBC are setting her up though. Realistically there isn’t a single Women’s player that is going to be put over any of the Men’s ones, but they also can’t be expected to just say all their teammates are worse than others. It’s a lose-lose situation and a stupid question.
@paulwradio: Chloe Kelly causing Football Lad Banter Twitter to absolutely melt down merely by supporting a club & international teammate in a meaningless comparison is absolute proof that most of these “banter” accounts are an angry cesspit of engagement farming.
