Lucy Bronze described the Lionesses as a “very empowered players’ group” that wants to keep pushing the game forward after their statement announcing a pause in discussions with the Football Association over performance-related bonuses and commercial strategy during the Women’s World Cup.
“It’s the first time as a player group that we’ve actually sent a message out ourselves, that we’ve collectively done together,” Bronze said less than 24 hours after the release of their statement. “So, in that respect, it’s a very empowered player group, last night, this morning and these past few weeks.
“We felt it was important that we sent the message out, because there has been some talk, we want to show that we’re focused for the World Cup, that that is our main focus.”
The 31-year-old full-back added she was “100% confident” the players would not be distracted by the dispute with the FA.
“Every single one of our players is fully focused on playing in the games and playing great football,” Bronze said. “These conversations happen regularly, they’re just not in the media. They happened before the Euros, and I don’t think it distracted us then because we went on and won it. It’s something that we now have to deal with as footballers, the labels: we’re performing athletes, we’re role models, we’re empowering women around the world, we’re changing society.
“There’s many things that fall under the name of female footballers and we’re fully capable of managing that ourselves … we’re all focused on what our aim is and that is to get to the World Cup final.”
Bronze is part of the group of senior players – which includes the injured England captain, Leah Williamson – that has been in negotiations with the FA on behalf of the squad.
“We strive to make a difference,” Bronze said. “Although we’re just players who play football, we are pushing to make changes, we want women’s football to be in a better place, and not just for ourselves but for the future of the game long past when I’m retired.”
The players have voiced their frustration over the lack of performance-related bonuses being paid by the FA in addition to figures set by Fifa, but there is also discussion about the commercial strategy for the team, which the FA is understood to be more on the same page with.
“We want to keep pushing the game further, rather than just being like: ‘OK, this is where we sit,’” Bronze said. “That’s something that we do regularly, every single tournament, every single year: ‘What’s next, how can we push the game on?’
“It’s about pushing every single angle that we can to make sure that women’s football can smash through that ceiling that we’re constantly getting put under.”
Bronze said it was “super sad” that so many countries, such as Jamaica and Nigeria, are in dispute over wages and conditions going into a World Cup.
“This was something that we spoke about as an England group,” she said. “We’re not only doing this for ourselves, we’re doing it so that we can set a standard.
“It’s unfortunate that it has come before the World Cup but, at the same time, it’s because the World Cup gives us the big stage. It’s when people want to listen to us, it’s when things really matter. And that’s why so many teams now are coming out and speaking about it, because it’s the only moment that they get the stage or the opportunity to speak out, which is unfortunate.
“This will be the biggest Women’s World Cup ever. But I’m sure in four years’ time, it’ll be even bigger, thanks to all the changes that people are able to make this time around.”
There is an added pressure to performing too, because success will improve their negotiating position.
“Success gives you the platform to make change,” she said. “We saw that last year at the Euros that our success gave us the stage to make changes with the government – which is insane. It’s the same with the US. Their success in World Cups gives them a stage to make change and that’s what success brings in a performance sport.
“Any team that’s going to be successful in this World Cup will know that their success on the pitch can drive change off the pitch.”
When asked how far the players would be willing to go once talks resume, Bronze said she was confident there will be a resolution.
“We know that our federation really wants to push the game on as well. So, we’re in a quite fortunate position where as much as we have difficult conversations, I think we will be able to find a solution.
It’s about finding a solution that works for both of us, so that we can both be striving to make the game better and better. It puts us in a good position that we know we have that power. We know that although we’re having a discussion with the federation, they are on our side, they do want to make the game better.”
Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, said on Wednesday it would be down to the federations to ensure the players received their Fifa fees. “Whatever payments we do, we will go through the associations and then the associations will, of course, make the relevant payments to their own players,” he said.
