“I NEVER WANTED IT TO END.”
Those six words sum up the emotional rollercoaster that Karen Carney has ridden on Strictly Come Dancing — a journey that has ended in glitter, tears, and a place in television history.

The former England football star has just lifted the coveted Glitterball Trophy in the 2025 series, becoming the first-ever female footballer to win the show. But behind the sequins and standing ovations lies a deeply personal story of regret, rediscovery, and raw vulnerability — one that has stunned viewers and melted even the toughest critics.

At 38, Carney is no stranger to pressure. She made her senior debut for Birmingham City at just 14, earned 144 England caps over a 14-year international career, played in four World Cups, four European Championships and an Olympic Games, and collected silverware wherever she went. Yet despite all that glory, she admits one thing haunted her long after retirement.

“My regret from football was not enjoying it enough,” she revealed. “Not being present in the moment.”

That regret is exactly why Carney has embraced Strictly with an intensity that rivals any Champions League night. As the show packed up and moved north to the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom, she refused to look ahead — determined to soak up every second.

“I don’t want it to ever end,” she confessed. “My aim was just not to go out in week one. I never imagined I’d make it to Blackpool.”

From the very first week, it was clear she meant business. Her explosive jive to Blondie’s One Way Or Another topped the leaderboard — the first footballer to do so since John Barnes in 2007 — followed by a jaw-dropping Argentine Tango inspired by Peaky Blinders that earned a staggering 38 points.

Insiders say her footballer’s discipline was key. Rehearsing from 8am to 4pm every day, Carney treated training like pre-season camp. But Strictly offered something football never did.

“For the first time in 30 years, I wasn’t doing football,” she admitted. “On the pitch, you’re trained to win. Off it, that’s who you really are. Strictly reminded me of that.”

Paired with professional dancer Carlos Gu, Carney was forced out of her comfort zone in a way she never expected. Diagnosed as a child with Scheuermann’s disease — a spinal condition that affects posture — ballroom dancing was a brutal physical challenge. After their emotional American Smooth, Gu broke down in tears, overwhelmed by how hard she had pushed herself.

“He’s exactly what I need,” Carney said. “I can’t hide behind football here. I had to step into his world — and that’s where you grow.”

The judges mostly applauded her bravery and progress, though not without drama. In week four, Craig Revel Horwood sent shockwaves by flashing a brutal four for her Cha-Cha while the rest of the panel raised sevens. Carney, ever the pro, took it on the chin.

“They’ve got a job to do,” she shrugged. “If it helps me improve, I’ll listen.”

What truly won over the nation, though, was her emotion. Her goal-style celebrations at the end of dances, the visible nerves, the honesty about self-doubt — all of it felt real. For Carney, Strictly brought back a feeling she hadn’t experienced since hanging up her boots in 2019.

“The euphoria,” she smiled. “It’s the closest thing to playing a match. Even when a dance hasn’t gone perfectly, I’ve attacked it. I’m proud of that.”

Now crowned champion, Carney admits the hardest part may still lie ahead — leaving the Strictly bubble and “detraining” once again from a life of constant performance.

But for now, she’s holding onto the magic.

Because this time, she didn’t let it slip by.