What more can be said about Lucy Bronze? The Chelsea defender has lifted trophies throughout her career – domestically and internationally – and remains so dedicated to her craft that she had no hesitation in continuing her journey with the Blues.
Bronze made her debut for Sunderland in 2007, at a time when the women's professional game was in the very early stages of its growth. In the two decades since, she has won every domestic honour in the English game, has lifted the UEFA Women's Champions League with Lyon and Barcelona, and twice won the European Championship with England.
The 34-year-old has truly seen and done it all. Yet she still has much to give the game – and to those on the path she helped forge.
‘You know, as you get older and you gain more experience, you become a leader regardless of what team you're in and who you're with,’ Bronze explains. 'Apart from Becky (Spencer), I'm the oldest and the most experienced, so I've probably just got a little bit more of that to give.
‘We have lots of other players like that who have all different types of experience and lead in different ways. We've got a good group to help lead and give experience to the team.
‘Understanding the history of the game, of each club, the league and the national team, I feel is really important. You can pass that knowledge on to the younger players because the game's in a good place, but it's still not in the best place it could be.
‘I think we need to remind ourselves where we've come from and where we still have to go. There's always something to be done to push the game on – and the players have to be the biggest advocates of that.
‘We can't just sit back and expect other people to push and advocate for the game that we love. That’s why it’s important to share my experiences, so players understand that it's a big responsibility and we all have to make sure we can keep driving the game for the people who come after us.
‘I love that the game's in a better place now than it was when I was in my twenties, and I watch the girls in their twenties now, and I think, "Oh, what, what an amazing time they're going to have and what amazing careers they're going to have because the game's in a better place."
'I hope they do that for the next group and the next generation.’
Born in Northumberland, Bronze represented Sunderland, Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton, as well as Lyon and Barcelona on the continent, before arriving at Chelsea in the summer of 2024.
Living in London was something the England international had never experienced before, and she’s been pleasantly surprised, not least because of the support she’s received from our fans.
‘It's been a good two years here,’ she says. ‘I mean, I'm a proper northern girl, and I've only ever lived in northern cities, really, but I've absolutely loved being in London, and loved being in Surrey and at Chelsea.
'I always tell people I feel like it feels a little bit like the North East, but with better weather and a little bit more expensive!
‘I feel at home here, so it's been nice. I’ve been able to connect with so many people in England and in London, which has been amazing. I've played against Chelsea a lot in my career. They’ve always been a difficult team to play against because of the fans, so it's good to be on the other side of it now.
‘Whether that's the local fans I meet, even just walking around in Wimbledon, London or Surrey, or being in the stadiums and seeing the fans there, they’ve all been amazing these last two years. I'm excited for them that I’m carrying on here.’
One of the reasons Bronze has committed to stay for a further year in SW6 is to be part of what she sees as an exciting project.
There have been changes on and off the pitch, and the defender is looking forward to playing all of our Women’s Super League home matches at Stamford Bridge from next season.
‘The team's evolving,’ she says. ‘I think that's the way that you have to move forward in life in general, and football teams evolve. You see it in other teams in our league, and in the Premier League too.
‘You have to keep evolving to move forward, and sometimes it's not always forward steps. Transitions can take a little time, and I feel like next season will be a good season to push on and make forward steps to get Chelsea back on top again.
'We want to keep evolving as a team to have even more success than has come before at Chelsea.
‘Obviously, Kingsmeadow has been Chelsea Women's home for a while, and it's been amazing to have our own place. But I feel like the team's outgrown that, and with the success that the team's had over the last five years in particular, it's time for us to push on and welcome even more fans.
‘The game's growing at such a fast rate, and you see other teams playing in the big stadiums as well. I think we can accommodate more of our fans, get more people to Stamford Bridge, more people supporting Chelsea Women.
'Being at the Bridge is the right step for the team.’