Jess Carter’s resilience defines excellence on and off the field for Gotham FC

Growing up in a place like England that is notoriously known for producing world-class soccer players, and then slowly building a strong football résumé that has allowed one to represent one's country and play for one of the biggest soccer clubs in England, Chelsea F.C. Women, says a lot about a player’s profile just on its own.

For the past two seasons, NJ/NY Gotham FC defender Jess Carter has given the backline a strong defensive identity. This past March, the defender was named to the Best XI, consisting of the top 11 players for that month. During March, Carter recorded 11 tackles, eight interceptions, and seven headed clearances while also posting a 90.95% passing completion rate by completing 221 of 243 passes during this stretch of games.

Digging deeper into the English player’s FotMob statistics, she has earned a 7.14 player rating in 11 NWSL matches so far. From the numbers, there is clear evidence that she has an impeccable ability to distribute the long ball during matches. With 42 accurate long balls at a 52.8% completion rate, she has only conceded four goals thus far and has recorded 46 goal clearances.

Jess Carter's secret to her Gotham FC success

From the numbers detailing the intensity that she brings to the game, Gotham FC fans would probably think Carter has football on the brain every single waking second of her day. Her approach to the game is the exact opposite.

On the Nov. 7, 2025, episode of the soccer podcast “Soccer Girl,” hosted by Alanna Locast and Shannon O’Connell, the defender talked about being able to play freely on the pitch.

“Most of the time I’m able to do that quite fine. Most of the time, I’m just someone who I’m going to go and do my best, and that is all I can do. So I’m going to make mistakes. I’m going to do great at times, but there is literally nothing more than I can do than give my best in that moment. So God bless for having that attitude.”

Carter did admit, however, that competing on the national stage during European competition was the first time she felt any nerves about her abilities on the field.

“I remember at times in this most recent Euros, a lot of these games were the first time I’ve experienced being nervous or being stressed or worried about my performance," she said. "And that definitely had an impact on how I played in the Euros.”

As the England women’s national team lifted its second European title last year, the tournament had an added level of mental difficulty for Carter as she encountered strong criticism and racism from fans during England’s tournament run.

Although many professional athletes would have chosen to go quiet and ignore the online hatred altogether, the Gotham player defended herself and spoke up for many players in her situation while receiving support from her national team teammates in the process.

This act of resilience played a large part in Carter receiving The Guardian’s Footballer of the Year award. The award is given to a person who has overcome adversity, set a standard within the sport, or been completely honest about an ongoing issue.

Sports as a whole have not always been the most welcoming environment for Black athletes throughout history, especially for women, who have been subjected to criticism and mistreatment from many outside voices. The notoriety and respect for women’s sports have come a long way within the last 15 years. There are now a multitude of opportunities and many more eyes watching the women’s professional side of soccer.

This forward progress has come after a collective effort by players and former players. Seeing Carter evolve from her time playing with Chelsea to moving stateside and fitting seamlessly into Gotham FC’s philosophy, while helping the club lift a trophy this past season, shows that her impact will live on far beyond the soccer field.

Moreover, playing at a high level while carrying a deep sense of honesty will set an example for young Gotham FC fans on how to be the consummate professional.

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