Lucy Bronze has opened up on the emotional toll that comes with life at the top of football and the perils of social media.
The Chelsea and England defender says increased visibility in women’s football has brought in more fans, but also more hostility towards players.
As one of football's most decorated players, Bronze admits the darker side of fame is something she has had to learn to live with after more than a decade in the spotlight.
‘Everyone builds you up, then tears you down’
As the women’s game continues to grow, so too does the scrutiny, something Bronze believes players are still adapting to.
Speaking exclusively to FourFourTwo, Bronze said: “Mentally, the game has changed. Fifteen years ago, no one was there to talk about you, whether it was good or bad. As my career grew and I became a better player, the spotlight was on me.
“It feels good for a moment, then the more people who know you and love you, the more people also hate you and don’t want you to succeed. It’s something I felt quite early on in my career and it’s stuck with me throughout.”
Bronze’s senior career has spanned two decades and the 34-year-old has more than 20 major trophies to her name, including multiple FA Cups, League Cups and Champions League titles.
She has also competed in seven major international tournaments - the 2015, 2019 and 2023 World Cups and the 2013, 2017, 2022 and 2025 European Championships - and became a two-time European champion in the process.
The success of the Lionesses has thrown many players into the spotlight in a way they hadn't been before. That shift, Bronze says, has at times created a more volatile environment, where praise can quickly turn into criticism.
“I see it a lot with players I play with, or the England team, for example,” she added. “One minute, everyone wants to build you up, then once you become someone, people also want to tear you down.
“There’s that mental side that women’s football hasn’t been as prepared for. It happens a lot in the men’s game, but I think it’s something they’ve become accustomed to. Whether that’s acceptable, I don’t think so.”
'More needs to be done to protect people'
Central to that change has been the rise of social media, a tool Bronze views as both essential in how it has elevated the visibility of the women’s game, but equally dangerous.
“Social media is a horrible place to live in, but at the same time it has real benefits. For women’s football, it’s a great place for us to celebrate things that we're doing, because historically the media hasn’t shown as much women’s sport in general.
“I think it accounts for something like two per cent of media in papers and on TV. Watch SkySports News and it’s a tiny strip compared to 24-hour access to the men’s game.
“So social media is a way for us to promote our games, promote ourselves as athletes and connect with fans that we’re not always given the opportunity to do. At the same time, is it monitored the best way it could be? Probably not.
“We’re starting to realise that now, with a lot more threats with AI and things like that. Social media brands are starting to realise that maybe more needs to be done to protect not just athletes, but everyday people.”
