England at Euro 2025: Why Lucy Bronze has never been more important to Lionesses’ chances of success | Football News

Lucy Bronze has never been tired of winning. At this stage of her career, it is likely that she will never do it. For some players – maybe less traveled – the burden can be a weight to transport. But not in bronze. She carries her obsession as an honorary badge.

The last Health of women The cover star, entering his seventh major international tournament with England, has several roles to play this summer. First and foremost, it will be necessary as a raid at the rear right, which rises from top to bottom of the wing like a sprinter runs a 100 -meter race.

But bronze means much more than that for the chances of England of consecutive success.

It is the role of leadership that is likely to play a main role as “New England” attempt to defend the crown of England in Switzerland in July. The bronze The Talker, the organizer and the self -proclaimed “authoritarian mom” are all functions this last team – with seven players never to present in a major tournament before – are short.

England has evolved since Euro 2022. This current team of 23 players has talent, energy and depth, but do they have discipline? Are they tactically clever? Can they adapt under pressure and return to plan B if necessary?

The need to be all of these things and accept the responsibility for personal performance would be overwhelming for most ordinary players. Fortunately, bronze is far from ordinary, supported by an upward belief that victory is always at hand, whatever the circumstances.

Speaking during the media day of England in June, the glow of bronze pre -competition was undoubtedly, as if it launched itself into its first tournament – in truth, at 33, it could prove to be its last.

“Everyone knows that I like to play for England,” she said Sky SportsCamped next to his Chelsea teammate, Lauren James, in St George’s Park. “This is something that I will never take for granted. Nothing ever compares to the wearing of the shirt in England and the lifting of a trophy for your country.”

The winning team of the 2022 title, the women’s football apex in this country, contained many angular stones – one of them. But we could also indicate the discreet but brilliant profession of Fran Kirby, the robustness of Millie Bright, the solidity of Mary Earps – without forgetting the violence of the ancients of England Ellen White and the famous Jill Scott.

This time, the composition of the team has changed, bronze the only member remaining of the names mentioned.

Three years ago, the selection of Sarina Wiegman contained an average of 40 caps per player – the group of this year fell to 37 without bronze, and reached 42 with it. But by age, the profile is much younger.

For the context, when Bronze played during its first euros in 2013 – England failed to go beyond the group phase – the new n ° 1 Hannah Hampton was 12 years old. The youngest member of the team, Michelle Agyemang, was seven years old.

The need for a player like bronze, with such an abundance of hunger and desire, but equal quantities of experience to be drawn, has never been more pronounced. No individual is able to hammer the status of the lioness as European winners as she can – a player whose domination followed him everywhere on the continent.

Having completed his latest feat with Chelsea last season, Bronze became the first player to win a triple domestic in three different countries (France, Spain and England). She also collected five medals of the Champions League winner at that time.

“I love all the trophies that I won during my career; I had the chance to represent the clubs I have,” she continues from the base camp in England.

“I had fantastic experiences and I could not have asked more at the national level, but my dream has always been to win something with England.

“The more I can win in a shirt in England, the better. It is the best success because the opportunities are so rare and so difficult.”

For all those who needed to recall the wait in England this time, the Euros trophy paraded when sending their friendly against Jamaica last week. A nod to success and, perhaps, a predestined look to the future.

Perhaps the summary was as much an invitation for fans inside the King Power Stadium as the players themselves. Two days later, the team was photographed leaving for Zurich in T-shirts by reading “Everyone looks at the lionesses”.

For the defeat of the World Cup final against Spain in 2023, 12 million people were attentive and the number should peak in something similar for their group’s opening match against France on Saturday. Bronze is able to stylize this kind of opportunity better than most having built a unique tolerance for the big scene.

“When I entered my first tournament team 12 years ago, nobody expected that we expected England, but I expected what we earn.” This conviction has really become a superpower.

She continues: “I have never been a player who expected anything less. Waiting outside could have changed over time, but for me, I go to each tournament with attitude” Why can’t we win? “,” Why can’t we be the best? “”

Bronze, capped 134 times and counting, is the link between the old and the new. Not only in the digital sense, but in the evolution of the identity of England. She transcended the era between the fight to win the status and the right to behave as a team that owns it.

The winner’s ego now crosses the fabric of a shirt in England in the same way that it crosses bronze DNA. There is a belief to match the talent. All knitted by a Wiegman head coach who has monopolized this competition in recent years, winning the last two editions with the Netherlands before the Lionesses.

This could be “New England”, but at the base of this team keeps a lot of characteristics of a winning championship team. And bronze, the ultimate champion, seems sure that they can start again.