Lucy wins BBC player award for second time

It is the second time the Berwick-born, Alnwick schooled 28 year-old has landed the title.

Bronze, who was brought up on Holy Island and Belford in north Northumberland, is now one of the most instantly recognised figures in the women’s game.

Having made her mark with Manchester City and England, Bronze now plays her club football with Lyon in France, where last year she won the French Championship and the Women’s European Champions League.

In 2019 she was named Uefa Women’s Player of the Year, was runner-up in the World Women’s Player of the Year and helped England to the semi-finals of the Women’s World Cup in France.

After picking up her award she told the BBC: “At eight years old I wanted to beat my brother.”

At 12, she joined the Sunderland Academy.

"When I was with my brother it was about being like him. I wanted to beat my brother and do what he does.

"I loved every sport anyway - I did every sport - but football was the sport my brother loved and I fell in love with it through that.

"I got a bit of acceptance through football - I was a very shy child but football was the way I made friends throughout my childhood.

"I've been in that time when I had to pay for the field and to pay to turn up and train twice a week. It's one of the things I'm so proud of in my career: going from that to living

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