Karen Carney on success of women's football and misogyny

Karen Carney in a blue dress at the Pride of Britain Awards — Karen Carney has become a commentator after retiring from professional football

(Image credit: Mike Marsland via Getty Images)

Karen Carney has had a glittering career, from England captain to winning Strictly Come Dancing just last year. She has also become a football commentator, this year working with ITV in their coverage of the World Cup from North America - where she will be based in New York.

But while this year is the men’s tournament, it is the women’s game that has come on in leaps and bounds. The Lionesses have achieved incredible success, winning two Euros back-to-back and getting to the final of the World Cup.

And it is how much the game has come on for women that Karen - who has represented England at four World Cups - that she is most proud of.

Karen Carney playing football for England — Karen is hugely proud of her footballing career at England

She exclusively told woman&home, "I feel proud. It’s taken a long time, an army of people and we’ve still got work we need to do. But when I broadcasted last summer and England won for the second time, it was just chaos. It was one of the great experiences of a game I’d been to. It’s just like, ‘What is going on?!"

And while online there has been misogynistic backlash to female commentators from some quarters, it is not something that Karen, 38, pays too much attention to.

“A coach said to me once, ‘Don’t play to impress your manager, play to impress your team.’ I have used that analogy with broadcasting. I want to let [my colleagues] know I’m well prepared, researched, on time, respectful, collaborative and I have their back.

Karen Carney with a microphone commentating for ITV Sport — Karen is commentating for ITV for this year's World Cup

"That’s who I care about, people who I work with, they’re my teammates, they’re who I put huge value on. And know that if they like working with me and we’ve had a good show from our perspective… I appreciate I can’t do anything else, I can only control who I am and how I act in my environment at the time.

"Everybody in life wants to be liked but it’s not a reality, so I just control what I can within my team and circle, do the best that I can. I work hard and try to be a good person!"

And how is she expecting England and Scotland to fair this year?

"I’ve got to say that our home nations will do really well! I’m a former England player, I’d love us to do well. But I’m nervous, in my head I think France are the team that I’m saying… I want England to win, but I think France might win it. But I’d love us to do well, and I’d love Scotland to do well, because it’s great for our respective countries."

Karen joins ITV's punditry team for this summer's FIFA World Cup

With 16 years of experience in celebrity journalism, Stephen has been lucky enough to interview some of the biggest names in popular culture - from the likes of Madonna to Mary Berry, and partied with Lily Allen and Harry Styles back in the day. Having cut his teeth for various publications including OK!, Bella and Attitude, Stephen is now the Celebrity Director of woman&home.