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BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
England Lioness Lucy Bronze's dreams coming true, says aunt
Lioness star Lucy Bronze's "dreams are coming true", her aunt has said, after England retained their European title at Euro Tough said she was exhausted and "quite emotional" after watching the Lionesses defeat Spain during Sunday's dramatic penalty shootout."Goodness knows how Lucy's feeling, because I feel like I've played it with them," she told BBC Radio 5 Live. "It was nail-biting. I watched every game with my mam. It was exhausting, but absolutely brilliant."It came after the Northumberland star revealed she had played in the tournament with a fractured tibia. Nan Gloria Stapleton, who watched the match at Ponteland Leisure Centre, said she was "exhausted"."That was a tense game and I knew it would be a tense game," Mrs Stapleton said."I'm pleased that it was an even game because they are both very good teams." Bronze, from Berwick-upon-Tweed, began her football journey as a child with Alnwick Town Junior Football Louise Jones said she still had a sore throat after cheering on the Lionesses on Sunday."It was wild. The amount of girls and boys that look up to her, especially the girls, it's just amazing," she said. 'Not a whisper got out' In the quarter-final against Sweden, Bronze was shown on camera self-strapping support around her right leg during a break in Sunday, she played 105 minutes in the tense encounter with Spain, before leaving the pitch in tears as she was forced it was not until the end that she admitted she had played with a fracture the whole mum Diane said the family and team's medical team knew about the injury all along."And not a whisper got out," she said. "[She] didn't want anybody else to know."Her aunt said Bronze would not "let the pain get in the way"."Lucy wouldn't damage her body but she'll play through pain if she thinks she's not gonna do anything worse to it," she added. Bronze - who plays full-back for Chelsea - has played more consecutive tournament football for England than any other 33 years, eight months and 30 days, she was England's oldest player at Euro 2025 and played 598 minutes throughout, with only Keira Walsh, Alex Greenwood and Hannah Hampton playing more for Sarina Wiegman's nan said she wanted to play football from a young age."She was only three when she was kicking a ball around and she's never wanted anything for herself, she's never wanted fancy dresses, she's never wanted fancy things," Mrs Stapleton said."She just wanted to play football all the time and it's been her dream and she's followed it through. But she puts a lot into it, mind, she works hard, she really works hard." Bronze's star potential was first noticed by Alnwick Town Juniors' coach Ray Smith."He turned around and told her, 'You'll be playing for England one day', and he was right," Ms Jones recalled."He mentored her through the whole thing and he really did look after her, and he'd seen it straight away."Ms Jones said Bronze was "a proper North East girl, a proper rock"."She can prove anybody wrong. Absolutely crazy she's done it, but she's amazing." She added the Lionesses' success had inspired more girls and women to take up football."When Lucy was with Alnwick Town Juniors, we only had boys teams. Now we have eight female teams," Ms Jones said."It shows they all look up to her" Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
England star Lucy Bronze gives Lionesses their grit, her nan says
Lioness star Lucy Bronze provides her teammates with the "grit and determination" they need during tough matches, according to her Stapleton said she was incredibly proud of her granddaughter for helping her team win their Euro 2025 semi-final match, which saw England beat Italy in extra 89-year-old said Bronze, who is from Berwick in Northumberland, was an inspiration for her teammates and helped them to keep going during tough matches."She gives them that extra something that they need," she said, adding: "They see it in her and she passes it on to them somehow." Mrs Stapleton said she was "very tense" while watching the semi-final, which saw England take the match into extra time after scoring in the 96th minute. She said Bronze's determination was a trait she inherited from her family."We've all got that drive and determination that means you can't let things happen, you have to make them happen," she said. Bronze's brother, Jorge Bronze, has flown out to Zurich to watch the Lionesses play but said the tournament had not been an easy watch."Tournament football as a family member is not about enjoying yourself, it's always traumatic," he told BBC Radio Newcastle."I think they [England] have tried to keep that spirit of pure trauma throughout in this one."But he said after the Lionesses' turbulent run, he would not mind the tournament ending with a dramatic final."You know what, let's have penalties," he said. "Let's go through it again." Mrs Stapleton does not quite share her grandson's feelings about the final and admitted she was "terrified" for Sunday's game."But if they have a good game, play well and they play together as a team, that satisfies me," she Mrs Stapleton said she would not mind if her granddaughter's team pulled off another close win."I would like to think, that whatever the score is, England get one more," she said."That would satisfy me absolutely brilliantly."England will face Spain in Sunday's final at 17:00 BST. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
