Former England Lioness Kelci-Rose Bowers has shared her mixed emotions after her partner, Argentina star Marcos Senesi, helped defeat England in the World Cup semi-final. The 22-year-old player, who has featured in England's youth ranks and plays for Bournemouth, acknowledged the controversy surrounding her decision to support Senesi's team.
Following Argentina's victory, secured by Lautaro Martinez's late goal, Bowers posted on Instagram, expressing pride in both her country and her partner. "Well that just happened… Of course a crazy experience with a lot of mixed emotions, one I won’t forget," she wrote, accompanying the message with England and Argentina flag emojis. "I am proud of how far England have come and of course my partner for reaching the WC FINAL."
Bowers had previously addressed her divided loyalties on TikTok ahead of the match. "This situation is very unusual for me, of course, being English and England making it to the semi-final is a crazy accomplishment and I'm super proud of my country," she stated. "Of course my partner is playing for Argentina so for anyone in any relationship, depending on what your partner does, you're going to support them."
She explained her embrace of Argentinian culture and support for Senesi throughout the tournament, stating, "Embracing the culture of Argentina and wearing the Argentina shirt has been something that I've been doing - and I don't think there's anything wrong with it." Bowers attended the semi-final match from the Argentina team's friends and family section but opted not to wear the traditional blue and white striped jersey, instead choosing an adidas jacket. She had previously worn Argentinian colors earlier in the tournament.
Bowers has been supporting Senesi since his late call-up to the Argentina squad in June, which occurred while the couple was on holiday. Senesi, who recently finalized a free transfer to Tottenham, was added to the team following an injury to Leonardo Balerdi. The couple met in 2024 at the south coast club where Bowers plays for the women's team and Senesi for the men's.