There isn’t much left to say about ‘Super Fran Kirby’ that hasn’t already been said by players, managers, pundits and fans. The Lioness is an incredible person as well as a magician on the pitch.
After fighting a debilitating illness for months, Kirby has come back with a bang, proving how important she is to both club and country.
She fell ill with pericarditis in November 2019, which saw her sapped of energy and motivation. The illness almost caused her to throw in the towel on football all together, she revealed on Alex Scott’s Instagram series during lockdown.
Despite all this, Kirby has been in electric form. She registered two assists against West Ham earlier this month and grabbed a brace in the Champions League three days later. The 27-year-old is currently Chelsea’s all-time top scorer, after beating Eniola Aluko’s record.
Watching Kirby glide across the pitch is true bliss. She is one of those players who thrives off grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and forcing something to happen.
She is extremely gifted in the way she can operate in the half spaces between the defence and midfield without being picked up. It makes her a nightmare to deal with and almost impossible to pin down during games.
By watching her play two games in four days, you would never know what she has been through. But that’s Kirby all over.
No nickname has ever been more accurate. She is ‘Super Fran Kirby’ both on and off the pitch. She is superhuman and a hero to many people.
