We met at 17 — Cole Palmer’s girlfriend Connie Grace opens up on sweet romance with Chelsea star

Chelsea and England star Cole Palmer has dazzled fans with his performances on the pitch, but his love life is just as steady as his footballing career. 

His girlfriend, Connie Grace, has now opened up about their long-term relationship, revealing that their love story began when they were both just 17.  

Palmer, a Wythenshawe native, went public with his romance with Grace at the 2024 GQ Men of the Year Awards.

 Now, in the new Amazon Prime documentary titled ‘England’s Lions: A New Generation’, the Manchester-based manicurist and influencer has spoken candidly about their relationship, describing Palmer as “warm and cuddly” and admitting, “you’ve got to love him.”  

Recounting how they met, she shared as per Daily Mail: “We met when we were 17. I think he knew me through mutual friends, so I think he probably had his eye on me. Oh, he's warm and cuddly. Well, with me, hopefully with no one else.”  

While Palmer has embraced football stardom, Grace insists that fame hasn’t changed him. 

“Cole now is still the same Cole that I met when I was 17. Obviously, he's changed, he's grown up, and his life now is completely different, but he's still the same boy, he's still laid-back Cole.”

She also praised his unwavering commitment to his career, highlighting how the 22-year-old Blues star has never been fazed by moving away from home in pursuit of his dreams. 

“Cole will adapt to whatever situation he's in. He's not bothered that he's that far from home because all he wants to do is play football. If it means leaving home and being in a place which is completely different to where he's from, he'll do it.”  

Unlike many young footballers, Palmer appears indifferent to fame and fortune, with Grace adding:

“He’s not bothered about the whole fame side of it and he’s not bothered what people think of him. He is only just bothered about scoring goals and doing well for his team, doing well for his country, and you’ve got to love him for that.”

Pulse Sports earlier reported that the pair were first spotted on vacation in Ibiza last year, following England’s Euro 2024 final defeat against champions Spain.

Months later, the two took their romance public with Grace often cheering on her beau from the stands at Stamford Bridge.

While his personal life remains stable, Palmer has faced some questions regarding his form in the 2024-25 season. 

After a sensational debut campaign at Chelsea, where he claimed the PFA Young Player of the Year and England’s Men’s Player of the Year awards, his numbers have dipped slightly, with just 14 goals and six assists so far.  

Despite this, Palmer remains a crucial figure for both Chelsea and England.

The ex-Man City prodigy missed a penalty in Chelsea’s Premier League victory against Leicester City over the weekend.

However, Palmer will be hoping to bounce back for the Blues when they face Copenhagen in their second leg round of 16 clash in the Conference League later tonight.

Chelsea currently hold a 2-1 aggregate lead and will be hoping to seal qualification to the quarterfinals of the tournament having been dubbed favourites to clinch the trophy this season.