[title]
Chloe Kelly didn’t only win our hearts but had us all shopping for white sports bras after she scored the winning goal for England Women’s in the Euros final at Wembley this summer.
To celebrate the Man City striker and her iconic goal, TfL has named a bus route after her. The 92 bus, which runs from Ealing to Brent and goes past Wembley Stadium, is the bus Kelly used to take as a teenager. She’d ride the double-decker to matches even if she didn’t have a ticket, hoping to catch a whiff of the action and pick up an FA Cup Final matchday programme, she told MyLondon.
‘These are my roots and this is where I’m from,’ she said. ‘I used to get this bus to Wembley, so to be here today with a bus named after me is amazing.’
Alongside the Chloe Kelly double-decker, TfL has put up posters honouring her in bus shelters around Wembley Stadium until September 15. The 92 route also celebrates the Lionesses’ win, announcing: ‘Wembley Stadium, home of the Lionesses’ on the zero-emission hydrogen-powered bus until October 1.
It was also announced that Kelly will be awarded the Freedom of Ealing award by her local council soon, which is the highest accolade a council can give.
It was a full-circle moment for the striker, who grew up in the borough and hopes the bus will inspire more young footballers to follow their passion. She said: ‘As a young girl growing up, I had a dream to play at Wembley and we’ve done just that, so as a kid, dream big. You can do so much more than you believe you can.’
This summer it’s been uplifting to see women’s football getting the recognition it deserves and Kelly hopes the support will be kept up. Talking about women’s representation in the sport, she said: ‘It’s got a lot better, but I think there’s so much we can improve as we go. As players, it’s on us to try and help that as much as we can. For young girls and young women to be able to access sport is crucial for the next generation.’
TfL’s cable cars are getting a serious glow-up.
More strikes! Everything you need to know about the September Overground industrial action.