Why England soccer star Chloe Kelly gets her own Barbie doll

By Kati Chitrakorn, CNN

London (CNN) — Soccer star Chloe Kelly plays as a forward for Arsenal, the Women’s Super League club in England. Known for her blistering pace and powerful shots, she’s also part of England’s women’s national football team, the Lionesses, which reached the World Cup final in 2023.

And now she’s also a Barbie doll.

In honor of being named as Barbie’s role model of the year, a toy has been made in the likeness of the 28-year-old athlete, who famously scored the winning goal in the UEFA European Women’s Championship in 2022 and the clinching penalty in the 2025 Euro final.

“I’m very proud to have my very own Barbie doll,” Kelly told CNN amid shooting her campaign for Barbie in a warehouse in north London, appearing energized and well rested despite participating in a Championships League game the night before (Arsenal is now through to the quarterfinals). “To see a footballer with a Barbie doll shows that our sport is here to stay. We’ve inspired so many on the pitch, but off the pitch this is huge.”

The miniature version of Kelly is wearing the 2025 England Lionesses kit (designed by Nike, the home shirt features a red and blue ombre stripe across the chest and is paired with blue shorts with red and white stripes on the side, knee high socks and soccer shoes). Meanwhile the real Kelly, when we speak, is wearing a cinched denim blouse with matching barrel-leg trousers designed by the up-and-coming British Nigerian designer Tolu Coker.

It’s emblematic in some ways of Kelly’s personal style, which tends to switch between high glamour and laidback separates. “I was drawn to the shape and structure of the outfit and going with something that I’m comfortable with – quite casual but also cool,” Kelly said.

Why Chloe Kelly’s doll matters

Running now for a decade, Barbie’s role model initiative is aimed at championing women who “brought their dreams to life” and “were the first to break boundaries,” according to the dollmaker.

It’s part of Barbie-owner Mattel’s efforts to move away from a narrow, singular image of beauty (blonde, blue-eyed and extreme hourglass figure) to creating a more inclusive reflection of the world. Today, the famous doll comes in various body types, skin tones, hair textures and physical abilities. Yet despite Mattel’s widening representation, sometimes there’s no storytelling more powerful than the hardships and accomplishments of a real person. And over the years, Barbie has lent its role model status to stars closely entwined with pop culture, such as Kylie Minogue, Helen Mirren, Shania Twain and Viola Davis.

Sports is an arena that Barbie has been increasingly making inroads into. To promote body positivity and strength, Mattel has made replica dolls of groundbreaking athletes including the basketball player Sue Bird, tennis star Venus Williams, boxer Estelle Mossely, swimmer Federica Pellegrini, track and field sprinter Ewa Swoboda; and rugby players Ilona Maher, Ellie Kildunne, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and Nassira Konde. In more recent years, Barbie has also focused on celebrating the sometimes less-celebrated roles in sports, such as coaches, managers, trainers, reporters and mentors.

Kelly is a sportsperson – but she also stands for something more. Not only has she achieved tremendous success at a young age (she made her professional debut at 17), but she has also cultivated an engaged fanbase by serving as an advocate for girls’ grassroots soccer. These accomplishments are significant considering that women in the UK were once restricted from playing football, as it is known here, with the Football Association claiming that the sport was “unsuitable” for women’s health. A 50-year ban, lasting from 1921 to 1971, meant that women were not only unable to compete professionally, but those who wanted to play recreationally were relegated to public parks and smaller venues.

For Kelly, it means being the face of a sport that her mother’s generation would have had limited means to engage in. “Seeing football and Barbie, two worlds colliding, it shows to younger girls that we can do both,” said Kelly, who returned to Arsenal from Manchester City, first on loan in January 2025, and then on a permanent basis by the summer. During that time, Arsenal – viewed as the underdogs in the Women’s Champions League final against Barcelona – claimed their first European trophy in 18 years. By July that year, Kelly, this time playing for England, famously scored that penalty against Spain in the Euros final, securing the Lionesses their second Euros title in a row. “I’m proud to have been in many special teams in my career, and to win huge tournaments and trophies,” she said before adding with a grin: “I have my goal set on winning many more.”

Today, young women’s participation in soccer is experiencing a historic surge, and widespread interest is also growing around female players. Just look at England captain Leah Williamson, who in January signed with talent agency, Fivethree, which typically represents musicians like Olivia Dean and Sam Smith – indicating that we may just be on the cusp of an accelerated transformation in the sport. Stadium attendances and online viewership are surging, commercial investment is increasing, and new opportunities seem to be emerging across every corner of the game.

Since returning from the winter break, Arsenal have won eight of their ten fixtures (losing just one and being tied in another), while also becoming the first-ever winner of the new FIFA Women’s Champions Cup in February. “I’m feeling really good,” Kelly said. “Of course, our eyes are set on Oslo (where the Champions League final will take place) in the summer, but we have to play Chelsea first and beat them, so we’re going to be ready for that test.”

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