I don't feel like congratulating myself, because I know there's still a lot of room for improvement.

Lucy Bronze

Categorized in : Know Myself Feel Improvement

I thought I was going to stay at City, but when a team like Lyon comes in for you, I think I'd have regretted it if I had said no to them. Not just because of making finals, but because of the players I get to play with every single day.

city day you team

I never had a problem with the people I was close to because I was playing football with them, and they knew I could play. It didn't matter that I was a girl.

girl problem football people

I made my England debut against Japan in 2013. Hope Powell, our manager at the time, always demanded the best. She had quite a stern approach... She'd look at you over her glasses sometimes.

best you hope time

I run the most for every team that I play for. That's because I ran so much when I was younger.

because run team play

I think because of how big the women's teams at Lyon and PSG are, the expectation on the team and the huge fan base - it leaves the door open for so much media. But I think that's a good thing.

good think women team

That's something I learned at Lyon: how humble and grounded the best players in the world are. They're always wanting more. At Lyon, they're winners. At England, it's the same.

best always humble world

I think, to a certain extent, there is a pressure, although I don't think I've felt the pressure at Lyon more than I've felt at any other club I've played at.

club more think pressure

I think it's a thing in France, and I think you see it a little bit in Spain with Atletico: the countries and the cities just absolutely love their football. It's not because they're just marketing geniuses; it's because they've made it simple.

you simple love football

In a World Cup, the girls at Lyon are probably the ones that are going to change the games, and I know them inside out.

inside know change world

I was really, really shy. My dad used to drive me for an hour and a half to go training. I used to finish school, jump in the car, come back, and go to bed. I missed out on socialising with my friends when I was a shy child anyway.

drive me car school

At Sunderland, all the girls knew each other. I wasn't that extroverted person to go join in. I was a little bit in my shell. But as soon as I started kicking a football, it was fine.

person go fine football

I've never been that person who has a lot of self-doubt.

self-doubt person never who

I just don't have that natural instinct to be able to let my guard down and start speaking to people. I never have - I've always been a bit socially awkward, even with people I've known for a long time.

long-time time long people

I remember, when I was at Sunderland, we made the FA Cup final and played in front of 20,000 at Derby.

cup i-remember made remember

I adored my brother when I was younger, so I wanted to do everything he did.

did everything he brother

For England, I play centre-half. I enjoy it. You face all the best strikers in the world. I enjoy the challenge.

face best you world

My father is Portuguese, and in Portugal, it is traditional to take your mother's maiden name as a middle name. My mum is called Tough.

name tough mother father

When I first signed a contract with a women's team, my contract stated that if I played, I would get 100 pounds, and if I didn't play, it would be zero.

first women team play

I didn't get paid enough money really to live properly, sleeping on people's sofas and stuff, but that was the moment when I thought, 'I just wanna play football professionally; whether I get paid 10 euros or 10,000 euros, I just wanna play.'

moment money football people

I wanna play until I am 45 if my body will let me. After football, I have no idea.

i-am me body football