Lucy Bronze's Euro 2025 campaign has become the stuff of legend after it was revealed she played through the entire tournament with a fractured tibia. The 33-year-old defender, the oldest in England's squad, clocked an astonishing 598 minutes on the pitch. Her grit was on full display during the quarter-final against Sweden, where she was seen self-strapping her injured leg mid-game, and again when she scored the decisive penalty in the shootout to help England overturn a 2–0 deficit. In the final against Spain, she pushed through 105 minutes before leaving the field in tears with a further knee injury.
Praise poured in from across the football world. England manager Sarina Wiegman called Bronze's mentality 'crazy', while former stars Ellen White and Steph Houghton hailed her as an 'absolute legend'. Despite the intense pain, Bronze said playing for England was worth it. She joined the celebrations after the final, hopping on one leg with her knee heavily bandaged, determined to savour the victory. Her resilience, courage, and leadership have made her not just a hero of the tournament, but a lasting symbol of England's fighting spirit.
@wwallsh Lucy and Ona after the final 🥲 #lucybronze #onabatlle #england #spain #alessiarusso #womensfootball #lionesses #woso #football #viral #wosoedit #foryou #euros #foryoupage #fyp #foryou
♬ We Hug Now by Sydney Rose - sydney rose 🌙
Lucy Bronze. Injured, bandaged, but still dancing! 🤩#WEURO2025 #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/KWr7sH2keK
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) July 27, 2025
@jade_eng_arsenalwfc LEGEND. LB❤️🫶🏻 @Lucy Bronze #lucybronze #lionesses #england #euro2025 #switzerland #foryoupage #fyp
♬ Public Service Announcement (Interlude) - JAY-Z
🏴 Lucy Bronze marked England's triumph on one foot – after playing the whole Euros with a broken leg 🫣⚽️pic.twitter.com/bldbbPhZTt
— BeSoccer (@besoccer_com) July 28, 2025
🏥 Lucy Bronze 😀 Elle sait vraiment tout faire sur un terrain! #WEURO2025 🤌 pic.twitter.com/bOkNyagudP
— L'UEFA en français (@UEFAcom_fr) July 27, 2025
Lucy Bronze's Euro 2025 journey is a powerful example of the unbreakable strength of women in sport. Her willingness to play through injury shows true commitment. As she said, 'If that's what it takes to play for England, that's what I'll do.' Her story inspires athletes and fans alike to keep fighting, no matter the pain.
