There is a huge pride that is accompanied by being a Lionesses player. And also busy.
Under Sarina Wiegman our team went up a level and in 2022 we won the European championship on a home floor, a wonderful achievement, but a which means that we have had to realize that since then.
It has been quite difficult for a few years, but we feel that we have now drawn a line.
Recently we have been beating world champions Spain 1-0 at Wembley in the Nations League. The performance was a reset, with so many players who went back to the base. The outside world can sometimes see us as good individuals, but that night in February we played together as a team.
It was a big victory and we think it puts us on a good way to the defense of our European championship title in Switzerland this summer. But we cannot only expect it to happen because we are England and we won the trophy last time.
The same thing that happened to us after winning the euros, coincidentally also with Spain, although it might not have been so well published in this country as it was there.
Spain really struggled for a while for results in the aftermath of beating us in the World Cup final 2023. Of course it can happen and you have a target on your back as winners. Opponents will draw up their game against you, which, to be honest, has always happened when you play for England.
You will eventually find your level and we are now a New England team, also in terms of staff.
You don’t have to shout that you are the ruling champions. You get nothing when you start playing again after winning silverware, whether you are England, Spain or someone else. That comes with the territory.
There is that perception that something changes when you are the holders, but look at the team we have now – for example, there is no Ellen White who started every game for us in the euro. Others also went further. This is another side.
Spain did not have one of their World Cup star players, Alexia Putellas, against us in that recent meeting, but they had players such as Laia Aleixandri, who did not come in their World Cup success. There are always good players at the top that you should pay attention to. It’s just that you can’t win every time, even if you have world champions such as Spain.
For us I am very proud of what we achieved three years ago, but, as I said before, the English shirt can sometimes weigh heavily.
I think it can be especially difficult if you are a young player who comes to a team with those ‘reigning champions tag. The pressure is a lot.
You win a trophy, there is that excitement and then the pressure grows to beat everyone. You look at younger players who then entered our team and made their debut for enormous crowds in Wembley Stadium. I try as one of the senior players to help them acclimatize how our world is now.
Because of this I have developed great relationships with midfielders Grace Clinton and Jess Park – who scored the winner against Spain – two young players with whom I had not really played yet. They ask me a lot of questions in the training and I try to give advice where I can.
With Jess I just told her that she is a very good player in the team and that she doesn’t need me to tell her how to play football. It is true, these young players are already good enough in themselves.
The only thing I can hope is that the young people learn to deal with the expectation that is now accompanied by an English player. I am sure they can do that, but I am sure it is not easy.
Things have changed for us and we have to allow this group of players to find their own way when we return this week to action with a Nations League Double header against Belgium-in Bristol on Friday and in Leuven next Tuesday.
We are perhaps the ruling European champions, but this team is better off without the extra pressure that label can bring. From now on we just have to concentrate on what awaits us.
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