Lucy Bronze says she is humbled to have been nominated for the FIFA Best Womens Player of the Year award. Bronze achieved her fifth nomination in the last seven years after a season where she starred in Barcelona Womens 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 Womens Goalkeeper of the Year award. Beth Mead has been nominated for the inaugural Marta Award that recognises the best goal.
England Women without injured trio for USA clashLive WSL table | Fixtures | ResultsWatch free WSL highlights | Get Sky Sports or stream with NOWReacting to the news of her nomination during a press conference on Thursday ahead of Englands 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.
Its always nice to be nominated for individual awards, she said. I think it says a lot about the teams that Ive played in, and weve 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 Im 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. Im 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.
Im 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. Shes 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 shes 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 theyve 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, were actually one family, but were absolutely competing [on Friday], she said. its really exciting.
Of course, we play Wembley, theres going to be 85,000 people. Were playing the USA – they won the Olympics [and are] No 1 in the world. With friends, its the same now when were playing USA. You really want to beat your friends even more, maybe then its not your friend.
Bronze echoed her managers sentiment and is looking forward to the prospect of reigniting the rivalry, despite it being a friendly. As long as Ive been an England player, its 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 thats 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, its such a competitive, high-level game.
