LUCY BRONZE is aware of all about being thrust into the World Cup highlight identical to England starlet Lauren James.
The Lioness intends to be readily available to supply recommendation to one of many contest’s fast-rising stars who reminds her “just a little” of herself.
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Bronze, 31, who along with her team-mates will battle Nigeria for a quarter-final spot on Monday, has her personal expertise of being propelled “into the limelight”.
The Barcelona heroine, who has 108 senior caps, was one of many standout stars of the 2015 match in Canada.
Again then her thunderous prime nook strike helped England knock Norway out within the final 16.
It was a shot from the sting of the penalty field that earned the then 23-year-old a World Cup Golden Ball nomination.
Bronze additionally netted within the Lionesses’ quarter-final defeat of Canada, earlier than serving to the crew win a bronze medal after they have been knocked out by Japan within the semis.
Reflecting on her expertise and people of team-mate James, the right-back mentioned: “Now we have fashioned a bond as we’re in comparable conditions.
“I used to be thrust into the limelight differently however I may help give her recommendation.
“I may help preserve her toes on the bottom however she is nice at that anyway.
“She’s somebody like myself who will get misinterpreted just a little bit by different gamers or the media as a result of she hasn’t at all times received a smile on her face.
“She is kind of shy like I was. She jogs my memory a lot of myself once I was youthful.
“When she got here into her first camp she was already asking me plenty of questions on issues that different gamers didn’t ask.
“LJ is shy however she believes in herself. She needs the crew to do nicely greater than something.”
James, 21, has been flying the flag for the Lionesses’ rising younger expertise.
The versatile ahead, who has 14 senior caps, turned the primary England participant, male or feminine, to be immediately concerned in 5 or extra objectives in a World Cup match.
Nevertheless Bronze expects the Lionesses’ different new stars will affect their progress with Bethany England, 29, Katie Zelem, 27, and Laura Coombs, 32, all that includes of their group stage video games.
The trio have been concerned within the crew’s 6-1 drubbing of China on Tuesday with Zelem making her first senior England begin and first look in a World Cup match.
And England, who was an unused substitute throughout the Lionesses Euros-winning cost final summer season, has come off the bench twice within the contest.
Bronze provides: “You have a look at somebody like Bethany, she most likely thought she wouldn’t play a lot at this match.
“However she has come on in two video games and finished rather well. I do know she hasn’t scored however she has nonetheless performed an enormous function.
“Individuals anticipated us to do the identical as we did on the Euros (by way of our line-up)
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“However I spoke to Sarina earlier than the match and we have been each saying this might be tougher.
“It was by no means going to be the identical, folks wished it to be, nevertheless it was by no means going to.
“We’ve needed to be adaptable and we have now proven we might be.”
