England ace Lucy Bronze has been crowned the second-best player at the World Cup in France, finishing behind United States forward Megan Rapinoe.
The 27-year-old Nortumberland-born defender excelled in the Lionesses campaign, scoring a thunderous effort in the quarter-final victory over Norway.
Now plying her trade for Lyon, where she won the Champions League last season, Bronze is recognised as one of the finest footballers in the women's game and Phil Neville claimed she was the best player in the world earlier in the tournament.
"I think we’ve seen tonight Lucy Bronze is the best player in the world, without a shadow of a doubt – with her athleticism and quality. There’s no player like her in the world. I played full-back but never to that level," he said after the win against Norway.
Bronze's fine form has now been recognised at the end of tournament awards, as she finished wedged between United States duo Rapinoe and Rose Lavelle, the latter of whom finished third.
Both USA stars scored in the 2-0 victory over Netherlands in the World Cup final in Lyon, where the US won the tournament for the second time in a row and clinched a record fourth World Cup victory overall.
England's campaign ended in defeat to Sweden in the third-place playoff on Saturday but their success at the tournament has secured qualification for Team GB at next year's 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
