Lucy Bronze swapped a hotel by the Mediterranean for a new luxury base adjacent to the somewhat chillier beaches of the English Channel on Monday but nothing was about to dampen her mood. “If we play as we did in the first half against Scotland, we’re going to do extremely well in this tournament,” the right-back said after England’s 2-1 victory in Nice.
The England team bus was flanked by van loads of armed police as it accelerated away from the stadium on Sunday night, blue lights flashing as the convoy gathered pace. Such treatment was driven primarily by security requirements but Lyon’s Bronze is accustomed to the VIP treatment.
“At the last World Cup [Canada 2015] I was walking around with stars in my eyes the whole time,” the Northumberland-born defender said as she prepared to head for a resort hotel on the Normandy coast where England play Argentina in Le Havre on Friday night. “I’m still excited but I find it easier to settle into the games now. I know I belong at this level.”
Not that being acknowledged as the world’s best right-back is stress free. “There was no pressure at the last World Cup and that was enjoyable,” Bronze said. “Four years ago, when we got to Canada, Alex Scott was our first choice right-back and nobody knew who I was. Now, though, people have an expectation of me. But the great thing today is that I’m used to performing on the biggest stages.”
She and Nikita Parris shone down the right flank as England deconstructed Scotland in an impressive first half before succumbing to a mixof fatigue and slight complacency in the heat of the second period. “It wasn’t the ideal performance but in the first half we played extremely well,” Bronze said. “But the second half has kept us on our toes, striving to improve – and you can’t ask for anything more than to win your first game in the tournament.
“It felt really good to be out there. When I was younger I used to get a few nerves but not now – and the encouraging thing was we had a few young players who showed no nervousness. That’s encouraging.”
The same could be said of her partnership with Parris, who operated wide on the right in Nice. It is a double act likely to be reprised at Lyon next season after the latter recently followed in Bronze’s footsteps and swapped Manchester City for the French champions.
“Nikita can be as good as she wants to be, that’s the truth,” Bronze said. “She has all the attributes she needs to be one of the best strikers in the world, she has been showing that all season at City. She’s been prolific, she’s got an eye for goal, she’s tenacious and she has the speed and energy. We’ve got a really good partnership; we enjoy playing together.”
Phil Neville believes Jill Scott can continue playing until she celebrates her 40th birthday and maintains that one of the oldest but fittest players is “irreplaceable” at this World Cup.
“Jill was sensational in the win against Scotland,” said England’s coach. “With her size, her quality, her energy up and down the pitch, she’s irreplaceable.”
Scott shone in central midfield as Shelley Kerr’s side were beaten, playing a key role in suppressing the usually destructive influence of Kim Little and Caroline Weir. “Our game plan was about Jill getting up the pitch and robbing the opposition, which she did time and time again,” said Neville. “Weir and Little are Scotland’s best players and our pressing suffocated them really well.”
At 32 Scott dictated such containment manoeuvres. “Jill can play until she’s 40,” said England’s coach.”Her and Lucy are always quickest on the bleep test and the other fitness tests we do. She never misses a single training session. If you ask her to drop out of one she goes mad at you. She’s built like a marathon runner, that’s why she’s so fit.
Indeed the young Scott was a schoolgirl cross-country champion on her native Wearside before switching to football after joining Sunderland Ladies. Neville has no doubt she can continue to star for both England and Manchester City for some time to come.
“Yes, there will have to be times when we rest Jill but her energy levels are frightening,” he said. “She is one of our best and she knows how to play the game; that’s why she’s still got another two or three tournaments left with me. Nowadays 32 is a young age for a midfielder.”
He senses his old Manchester United team-mate Roy Keane would have approved of Scott. “JIll’s a throwback to the days when players went down injured but got up without moaning,” said Neville. “She wins every tackle, every header, she slides into everything. She’s infectious, she’s got real quality and she’s a coach for me on the pitch.”