Karen Carney’s Strictly Come Dancing debut has left fans speechless – and many are now tipping her to win.

The retired England footballer, 38, closed the first Strictly live show of 2025 with a football-inspired Jive alongside professional partner Carlos Gu, 32.

The pair passionately triple-stepped to One Way or Another by Blondie in faux football kits and their high-energy routine brought the house down.

It even earned Karen and Carols a remarkable 31 points, sending them straight to the top of the Strictly leaderboard.

This made Karen the first footballer to finish a night in first place in 18 years. Viewers are now convinced the Lioness is the one to beat in the BBC competition.

Karen Carney: Strictly’s new favourite

Strictly Come Dancing viewers wholeheartedly agreed with Karen’s high score. Writing on her Instagram account, one said: “Absolutely unreal. Could be the winner. Last time I saw a dance like this on the first night was Jay McGuiness doing the jive from Pulp Fiction.”

Another added: “All people spoke about before the show was the number of cast members with dance experience but the one who blew them off the park was a footballer…. she was utterly amazing!! Definitely saved the best one till last.”

“JAW ON THE FLOOR! Dance of the night,” a third wrote, while a fourth gushed: “She was amazing, best dance of the night by far.” Someone else added: “Phenomenal! Just wow! You guys brought home the gold with that routine – that was a routine worthy of a winner!”

Strictly’s judges were equally impressed by the football pundit’s moves. Motsi Mabuse called the routine “amazing” and praised Karen for her precision, adding: “I have never seen anything like that…You are giving it all. It felt like this is the last dance you’ll ever dance, ever.”

Even the notoriously harsh Craig Revel Horwood was blown away. He told Karen: “That is the way to end a show with the best dance of the night. That is just ridiculous, I was not expecting any of that.”

What is Karen’s dance history?

Although Karen’s first love was football from the age of six, she did give dancing a shot as a child. She attended Steptoes Dance School in the West Midlands, where she  hand at hip-hop and disco.

But the time she was 11, Karen had joined Birmingham City Ladies and decided to dedicate herself to the pitch.

Karen’s ability to command a dance floor seems to have stuck with her, though. Her former England teammate, Jill Scott. previously complained on their podcast Long Story Short: “Kaz [Carney] can dance, it’s annoying!”

Karen herself made a bashful allusion to this on BBC Radio 2 when she was revealed as one of the Strictly 2025 contestants. She told Gary Davies: “I think I’ve got a little bit of rhythm. I did a little bit of dancing as a kid.” Karen quickly qualified her statement, adding: “Never done ballroom. I’ve never done anything of this magnitude.”

Karen’s reasons for joining Strictly

Karen has previously admitted that, when it comes to football, she is “absolutely critical” of herself. She believes this gives off the impression she is a “stern” person.

Karen is hoping that competing on Strictly Come Dancing 2025 can change her reputation for being so serious. She said recently told OK! magazine: “I want people to see the warm side of me. The kind, caring team player. I’m actually quite awkward, and nervous.

“But I’m also really daft and funny, and I probably just want to bring the other version of Karen.”

Read more: Strictly Come Dancing 2025: The change to Shirley Ballas’s deciding vote explained

Strictly Come Dancing continues at 6.20pm on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday October 4, 2025.