Lucy Bronze marked her 142nd England cap with a goal and an assist on the same day she celebrated her 34th birthday, as the Lionesses beat Australia 30.
Now Englands fourth-most capped player, overtaking Alex Scott in the recent international break, Bronze continues to defy age and injury to remain at the top of womens football.
With five Champions League titles, four Womens Super League trophies and two European Championships to her name, here is why she might just be the most iconic Lioness ever to wear the shirt.
Accolades
It is fair to say success follows Lucy Bronze. Few defenders in football history have collected as many medals as her.
Bronze is a five-time UEFA Womens Champions League winner with Lyon and Barcelona, a four-time WSL champion across Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea, and a two-time European champion with England.
Alongside her five Ballon dOr nominations, Bronze also became the first defender to win both UEFA Womens Player of the Year (2019) and FIFA Womens Player of the Year (2020).
On winning FIFA Player of the Year 2020, Bronze said: I didnt really think about the awards I was getting, being the first English player or the first defender. It only sunk in more recently. An individual award isnt going to change my life though - Id much rather have all of the Champions Leagues and the Euros.
Just this month, she won England Womens Player of the Year 2024/25, as voted for by the fans. But it could have all been so different, as Bronze admits she almost chose to represent Portugal at international level, after struggling to get a break with England.
When I was 16, my parents were asked if Id like to play for Portugal, she told FourFourTwo. I didnt get picked for England for quite a while, which is surprising to some people. I told my parents, If I get to 22 and still havent been picked, I want to play international football - although I wanted to play for England, I wouldve been just as honoured to play for Portugal.
Then I got picked for England four months before my 22nd birthday, because there were four injuries, and I stayed in the squad after that. I probably wouldve played for Portugal if that hadnt happened."
'Tough by name, tough by nature'
Her full name is Lucia Roberta Tough Bronze and if any player embodies tough it is Lucy Bronze. At Euro 2025, she played the entire tournament with a fractured tibia, something she revealed only after England lifted the trophy - with Sarina Wiegman praising her crazy mentality.
That didnt stop her from netting the decisive penalty in a shootout, which seemed like it might never end. When Bronze stepped up in that quarter-final against Sweden, few had doubts she would miss.
During that game, she was caught strapping up her own leg on the pitch an image that became one of the defining moments of the tournament. She even removed the bandage herself before taking that all-important kick.
Yes, my full name is Lucia Roberta Tough Bronze. My mum was Diane Tough so its a family trait - all the women in my family are very strong-minded, shall we say? Bronze told FourFourTwo. My younger sister and I have inherited it: Tough by name, tough by nature. Ive had to live up to the name!
From playing with boys on the remote Holy Island Lindisfarne, off Englands northeast coast, to lifting European trophies across three countries, her physical and mental toughness has defined her career.
Longevity and experience
Before becoming a global superstar, Bronze began her senior career at Sunderland, balancing football with university studies and part-time work.
By the time she moved to Everton and later Liverpool, she understood the value of hard work and adaptability, traits that would serve her well playing amongst Europes elite - later moving to Manchester City, Lyon, Barcelona and Chelsea.
Bronzes England journey has spanned more than a decade, from her debut in 2013 to the present day. She currently sits fourth on Englands all-time caps list, recently overtaking fellow defender Alex Scott.
- Fara Williams 172
- Jill Scott 161
- Karen Carney 144
- Lucy Bronze 142
- Alex Scott 140
I remember doing an interview when I got one of my first caps for England: they asked, What do you want to achieve? and the player next to me said, Id love to play 100 times for England. I said, I dont care how many times I play I just want to win something, Bronze once said.
To have won the Euros and represented my country that many times is incredible and every single game has been enjoyable. Having got picked quite late on, after a lot of injuries, never in a million years did I think I would make it to 100 caps, let alone still be going strong now.
At 34, she remains one of Chelsea and Englands most reliable starters and shows no sign of slowing down - constantly earning praise from her managers Sarina Wiegman and Sonia Bompastor.
Defining the modern defender
A Lucy Bronze ROCKET, and then, the winning moment!How are the heart rates England fans? pic.twitter.com/N1OUIFnmXJJuly 17, 2025
Lucy Bronze reinvented the full-back role, mastering both defence and attack in her 'favourite' right-back position.
Right-back is my favourite position. I played left-back at first with England, and left-sided centre-back, she told FourFourTwo. I quite enjoy centre-back, but I had so much energy and was like, No, you need to get me somewhere else! I love right-back. I love defending, and Ive also got so much energy to get forward.
Her ability to tackle, drive forward and dictate play from deep are signature parts of her game. Former England manager Phil Neville called her, the best player in the world, without a shadow of a doubt.
That was at the 2019 World Cup, Bronze later said. I felt I was playing really well, but to have someone say that gave me even more confidence. At first I thought, Stop saying it I just want to play football But its a huge compliment to have your international manager saying that so freely. I dont think Ive ever felt as confident as I did at that World Cup.
Bronzes dynamic style has inspired a new generation of English full-backs, proving that defenders can be match-winners, and award winners too.
Legacy
Bronzes career is already storied, but one trophy remains.
The 2027 FIFA Womens World Cup in Brazil would mark her seventh major international tournament (after the 2015, 2019 and 2023 World Cups and the 2017, 2022 and 2025 European Championships). If England were to reach the final again, Bronze would have appeared in four consecutive major finals.
Whether she finishes her career as Englands most-capped outfield player (30 more to go to beat Fara Williams) or helps to deliver Chelseas first Champions League title, her legacy is already secure as England's finest.
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