Lucy Bronze has experienced the highs of a treble-winning season and being named the best women’s player in the world, but nothing taught her as much as the crushing semi-final defeat at the 2019 World Cup.
Those lessons will now come in use for the England defender as the Lionesses prepare to face Sweden for a place in the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 final tomorrow night.
Bronze was named the second-best player at the World Cup in France after coming into the tournament a treble winner with Lyon, but tasted defeat at the penultimate stage as England were knocked out by eventual winners USA.
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"It probably hit me a lot harder than other people," Bronze told BBC Sport. "When you're in the best form of your life, that's when you feel like it is your time.
“That taught me more than anything else has - even when you invest, things can always go wrong.
"It's probably why I'm a lot more cool now. I've been at those very high heights and still been knocked down.
“It's a feeling that I don't particularly enjoy being reminded about but it's something I learned a lot from."
With Lyon, Bronze lifted the Champions League three times as well as being crowned the UEFA Women's Player of the Year in 2019, before returning to Manchester City and adding more silverware to her cabinet.
The defender will soon head back to mainland Europe to join Champions League runners-up Barcelona, but insists that throughout her career, it has always been England.
She added: "England's always been my biggest focus and during my entire career I've wanted to lift a trophy for England.
"I've been lucky enough to be in some very strong England squads, but the depth we have [now], the level we can train at, is incredible.
"We're the favourites and the hosts, but as a team we're very level-headed and we're not focusing on a final or lifting a trophy just yet."
England will take on Sweden in the first EURO 2022 semi-final in Sheffield tomorrow night hoping to avenge a run of semi-final defeats that has stretched to the last three major tournaments.
Having been knocked out by Japan, the Lionesses defeated potential final opponents Germany, who play France on Wednesday, in the third-place play-off at the 2015 World Cup.
The 2017 Euros saw England fall to eventual winners the Netherlands at the semi-final stage before their disappointment in 2019 was capped off as they were unable to defend their World Cup bronze medal as they lost 2-1 to Sweden in the play-off.
Now England, and Bronze, have a chance to break that hoodoo and reach their first major final in 13 years.
Tickets are on sale now for fans to experience a history-making tournament that aims to unite football and communities and amplify the growth of the women’s game. www.uefa.com/womenseuro/ticketing
