Karen Carney, take a bow! Lionesses legend ends footballers' 18-year Strictly Come Dancing curse by finishing TOP of leaderboard in first week of new series

Performing to Blondie’s classic hit ‘One Way or Another’, Carney and her professional dancing partner Carlos Gu wowed spectators with a brilliant jive during the first live show of the 2025 edition of the popular dancing programme. So good was Carney’s performance that she earned a score of 31 from the judges, meaning her and Gu topped the table for the evening.

Speaking after her performance, Carney said live on BBC: "Everyone did a great job. Honestly, it’s been an amazing show, hasn’t it?"

Carney was not the only former footballer who performed brilliantly on the night, with ex-Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink finishing third with his professional partner, Lauren Oakley. Dancing to The Fratellis’ tune Chelsea Dagger, Hasselbaink received a score of 27 from the judges, meaning he finished third.

Carney’s efforts in particular finally put to bed claims footballers could only perform on the pitch and not the dance floor. Several footballers have tried and failed to reach the top of the leaderboard over the years, including her former Lionesses team-mate Alex Scott. Other footballers who have appeared in the Strictly ballroom include ex-goalkeepers Peter Schmeichel, Peter Shilton and David James, as well as John Barnes, Robbie Savage and Tony Adams.

Starting her club career at Birmingham City Ladies, Carney achieved incredible success after joining Arsenal in 2006. The 38-year-old lifted nine major honours with the Gunners including three league titles and the Women’s Champions League in 2006-07. After a brief spell in the United States with Chicago Red Stars, Carney returned to Birmingham City in 2011 and helped the club win the Women’s FA Cup in 2012. Carney ended her club career with Chelsea in 2019.

Carney is also remembered as one of the Lionesses’ greatest-ever players. Making 144 appearances for her country, she is the third most-capped Lioness of all time. Carney helped England reach the final of the 2009 European Championship, scoring in her side’s 6-2 defeat against Germany. She also helped the Lionesses finish third at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015.

After hanging up her boots, Carney has since worked as a football pundit for TNT Sports, Sky Sports, ITV Sport and Amazon Prime. She was also awarded an MBE in 2017 and an OBE in 2024 for her services to football.