Lucy Bronze says she is humbled to have been nominated for the FIFA Best Women’s Player of the Year award.
Bronze achieved her fifth nomination in the last seven years after a season where she starred in Barcelona Women’s quadruple-winning season, completing a clean sweep of all domestic titles as well as the Champions League in May, ahead of her return to England to sign for Chelsea.
The full-back is joined on the shortlist of nominees by fellow Lionesses Lauren Hemp and Keira Walsh. Mary Earps is also up to claim her third successive Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award. Beth Mead has been nominated for the inaugural Marta Award that recognises the best goal.
Reacting to the news of her nomination during a press conference on Thursday ahead of England’s friendly against the USA, Bronze said the success of the teams she has been a part of have contributed to the recognition for individual honours.
“It’s always nice to be nominated for individual awards,” she said.
“I think it says a lot about the teams that I’ve played in, and we’ve always played in quite successful teams, and just tried to add to that and pull out big performances when the team needs it.
“Awards, obviously I’m happy with that. But last season for me, the most exciting thing was winning the Champions League as a team, winning all the trophies with Barcelona. I’m obviously very humble and very grateful for it.”
While five Lionesses in total have been nominated for awards, Bronze believes Georgia Stanway merited a nomination -but said the appreciation she and her other team-mates have for the Bayern Munich midfielder means more.
“I’m so lucky that I get to play next to her when we play for England,” she said.
“I know that I can rely on her probably more than anyone. She’s doing really well and I think for Georgia, and for any player getting nominated for awards is fantastic, but I think if you are appreciated by your own team and your team-mates, that will mean more to you than anything. Georgia knows that.
“I know in the Bayern Munich team, they actually love her in the England team as well. We all appreciate her and know exactly what she’s capable of.
“Not even just this year, but when I think about the Euros and the players that really were awesome, our best players, our best performers were probably the likes of Kiera [Walsh] and Georgia.
“I think their work in the England team goes unnoticed all the time because the media likes to focus on the goal scorers or these individual moments. They go out and do the job that they’ve been asked to do and give 100 per cent.”
Wiegman: Hayes is my friend – so I want to beat her more
Former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes will make a highly anticipated return to England when she brings her USA team to Wembley to take on the Lionesses. Sarina Wiegman is relishing the prospect of coming up against her “friend”.
“Whilst still in the football world, we’re actually one family, but we’re absolutely competing [on Friday],” she said.
“it’s really exciting. Of course, we play Wembley, there’s going to be 85,000 people. We’re playing the USA – they won the Olympics [and are] No 1 in the world.
“With friends, it’s the same now when we’re playing USA. You really want to beat your friends even more, maybe then it’s not your friend.”
Bronze echoed her manager’s sentiment and is looking forward to the prospect of reigniting the rivalry, despite it being a friendly.
“As long as I’ve been an England player, it’s been one of the most exciting games to play in,” Bronze said.
“We always play them on big occasions. There seems to be a rivalry that’s blossomed out of nowhere over the past decade. We know, no matter what players show up, what players are on the pitch, who the manager is, it’s such a competitive, high-level game.”