More About Karen Carney OBE

With over 140 caps for England under her belt, and as a former captain for both England’s Lionesses and Chelsea Ladies FC, Karen Carney OBE definitely has a knack for reaching her goals.

Her expertise and experience playing at the highest level of women’s football at both Champions League and National levels – including four World Cups and four European Championships – make her an entertaining and motivational speaker.

Since she announced her retirement from football in 2019, Karen has become a much sought-after sporting broadcaster for the likes of the BBC SKY, ITV and BT Sport.

Early after retirement, Carney began lending her insights to the BBC and BT Sport, before becoming a prominent voice on Sky Sports. There, she emerged as the lead female pundit for both the Women’s Super League and men’s Premier League coverage

Currently she co-hosts the podcast: Long Story Short With Jill Scott and Karen Carney

Sadly, Karen has been subject to a high level of abuse online, leaving her feeling suicidal. She has used her own experience with depression and other mental health struggles to inspire audiences around the country.

In August 2025 she was confirmed as a contestant on the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing for the BBC.

Karen Carney | Lioness

Karen Carney made her senior debut for England against Italy in 2005, aged 17. Her success soon grew when she became an integral part of the team at the UEFA Women’s Euro later that year, scoring a last-minute, game-winning goal against Finland.

Her fantastic track record performing for England resulted in her receiving her 100th cap in 2014, becoming only the fourth English woman at the time to reach the milestone. She also represented Team GB at the 2012 London Olympic games. Her skills weren’t just seen in the UK; she took her skills stateside and played a season with the Chicago Red Stars.

FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015 – Edmonton

Karen Carney | Club Football

As well as being a key Lioness, Karen has also played for Arsenal FC, Birmingham City FC (becoming the first woman to be inducted into their hall of fame), and Chelsea Ladies FC. In 2017 she received an MBE for services to the sport, and in 2021 was inducted into the National Football Museum hall of fame.

Karen Carney | TV Presenter

After retiring from international and club football in July 2019 following the Women’s World Cup, Karen swiftly transitioned into broadcasting. Early on she appeared as a pundit and commentator across platforms including BBC Sport, BT Sport and Amazon Prime, covering both the men’s and women’s game and advocating for greater female representation in punditry.

She became Sky Sports’ lead Women’s Super League pundit in September 2021, also contributing to Premier League and EFL coverage. In June 2022, she also formally joined ITV’s football team for major fixtures—including women’s internationals, FA Cup, and global tournaments—while continuing her roles at Sky.

Since then, Karen has expanded her influence further,  oining TNT Sports’ broadcasting team in September 2024. remains a respected lead analyst across multiple networks She continued with ITV into 2025, fronting coverage of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 in Switzerland as one of the lead pundits.

Her own footballing story saw her be the subject of the documentary A Day in the Life: Karen Carney (2014) for BT Sports.

Karen Carney | Mental Health Speaker

With the popularity of women’s football growing thanks to the Lioness’ Euro win in 2022, we are hearing more and more of the difficulties female players face. Sadly, this abuse is not new, with Karen herself experiencing sexist abuse, rape and death threats throughout her playing and punditry career.

Whilst her footballing career went from strength to strength, her achievements risked being overshadowed by her mental health.

She often used football to escape, keeping her afloat whilst her mother was sick. Unfortunately, when her mother got sick again, Karen was injured and didn’t have the support to help her; this would turn out to be the catalyst for her spiralling mental health issues.

The abuse she would go on to receive on social media left her depressed and feeling suicidal. It was so relentless that Karen deleted her Twitter account, keeping only her Instagram account to update her 96,000 followers on her work in the sport. She has since made it a priority to show the importance of stricter social media guidelines.

Her mental health struggles helped make her decision to retire from the sport. “I gave up my professional career because of my mental health. It was either stay there and maybe not be here today, more broadly, if I’m being totally honest, or come home.”

As difficult as this period was for her, Karen used it to start a refresh. Whilst in rehab for her injury, she gained a Master’s in psychology to learn more about her behaviours.

Karen Carney Speaking Topics

– Football Success

– International Football

– Premier Football

– Women’s Football

– Diversity and Inclusion

– Motivation

– Mental Health/Depression

– Social Media and Online Abuse

Karen is the perfect choice for corporate events, providing insight into elite football and giving honest accounts of her mental health and well-being struggles. She aims to inspire the next generation of young girls to fulfil their dreams.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to book former footballer and sporting pundit Karen Carney OBE for your corporate event.

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