Millie Bright says the Lionesses can grow again ahead of next year’s World Cup and immediate post-match analysis of their win over USA shows how seriously they're taking things.
As the stand-in skipper surveyed the jubilant scenes after England’s defeated the United States, she explained how Sarina Wiegman’s side can raise their game still further. The 2-1 triumph over FIFA’s No.1 ranked side in front of a fervent Wembley crowd will have given the Lionesses a huge psychological boost ahead of next year’s showpiece in Australia and New Zealand.
And the Chelsea stopper believes better is to come. She said: “That was a tough US side - we were always looking to send a message. But the focus has to be on us. We are always looking to better ourselves.
“I think there were parts of our game where we weren’t at our best. But ultimately we got the job done and in tournaments such as the World Cup, that’s what it’s about. We want to get better. Better in possession, for example.
“But you have to remind yourself that there’s another level to this group. As a player, that’s super-exciting. In the Euros, we found a way to win but I think we can hit a new level, 100 per cent.
“We did our analysis afterwards - of course there were positives because we won it - but this group is competitive. It is motivated to be better. We want to grow even more, be even better and dominate games even more than we have done and really challenge ourselves.
“We know the World Cup will be at a different level. A different competition with different opponents in a different country. That’s what keeps us at it. Every day in training, higher standards are being demanded.”
The victory over America was England’s first over the standard-bearers in the women’s game in five years and stretched their unbeaten run to 23 matches. Captain Leah Williamson was missing but otherwise this was Wiegman’s strongest starting XI. By contrast, the reigning world champs were weakened through injury - but not markedly so.
During the last tournament, the Lionesses suffered heartache against the eventual World Cup winners, going down 2-1 in Lyon at the semi-final stage. Bright says that it’s difficult to compare where both sides are in their development cycle.
She said: “I think we’re in a completely different space to 2019. We are under different management and, as a country, we are in a different place. You always think about past games but we are now in a different place, mind-set wise. We have a different mentality off the back of the summer.”
However, the question remains that with ten months before the World Cup kicks-off, how can the momentum be maintained as one barrier after another is broken down?
“It’s been a lot harder than you think,” she said, “coming back from a tournament where we had such success. You’ve been on the highest of highs. Then to go into club football and into internationals, it’s difficult.
“We have dealt with it as a group and it’s all about the mentality of where we want to get to. We have a mindset that two feet are always on the ground and stay humble.
“We have to realise that this is a time for us to work on things. We’re preparing now for a tournament. We have to stay grounded. People say: ‘It’s just ten months but the World Cup is still so far away from us.”
Wiegman was keen to apply the handbrake after emotions began to run away with themselves at Wembley. She said: “We haven’t won a World Cup - but it was really good to have this moment and everyone cheering for us.
“It was a good measure. The Euros was a good measure, too. The top countries have developed very much. The whole women’s game is developing but it’s good to have this test against the USA as they have won so many things over so many years. But it’s now October and not July yet.
“What it has proved is that we know we can do it. We believe a little more. We showed we could beat anyone - but it was still very close. There’s a thin line between winning and losing.
“We are in a good place. We have done well but we have to keep doing it. And you have to be a little lucky when you go into a World Cup. Everyone has to be fit and available.
“We’ve seen the team grow which is exciting but we can do better. You can only say you are the best team in the world when you have won the World Cup - and we haven’t done that.”
