Manchester City are being urged to carry themselves like true champions as they prepare to defend their Women's Super League title against a field of increasingly ambitious rivals.
City secured the title with a game to spare last season, finishing six points clear of second-placed Chelsea and ending the Blues' six-year grip on the league. The triumph also marked the first major honour for manager Andree Jeglertz in his opening campaign in charge in England, achieved without the added burden of Champions League commitments and with a deep, largely injury-free squad throughout the season.
Captain Alex Greenwood reflected on what the experience taught her and her teammates after years of narrowly missing out on the title. "How to become champions," she told BBC Sport. "We had come very, very close to doing it in previous years but just couldn't get over the line. Last season, a lot came together."
This campaign brings fresh demands, with City's return to European competition adding fixture congestion to an already packed calendar. The club received a major boost when top scorer Khadija Shaw committed her future to the team by signing a new contract, closing the door on speculation linking her with a move to Chelsea. City have also strengthened their squad with the arrivals of England internationals Mead and Charles, though they parted ways with Brazilian forward Kerolin, who joined Barcelona.
The transfer market has reshaped the balance of power elsewhere in the league. Arsenal recruited Spain full-back Ona Batlle and England midfielder Georgia Stanway, while London City Lionesses made a statement signing by landing two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas. Tottenham have also bolstered their attacking options with the additions of Kirsty Hanson and Shekiera Martinez, signalling growing ambition beyond the league's traditional top four.
Despite the shifting landscape, Greenwood insisted her message to teammates remains consistent, even as she acknowledged the need for continued growth. "Continuity is important, culture is important and the language that you use is important. When you hear the same thing often, it becomes a norm," she said. "You act like a champion and perform like one. We all locked into that last year and were fully committed."
She was careful not to suggest repetition alone would be enough to retain the title. "This season, I'm not going to say 'do the same again' because I don't think that entitles you to win the league. People improve, teams improve and we will improve. We will have to change things slightly and be better but continue to do the things that we did really well last season. That would be my message... and to enjoy it."
With investment flowing into clubs beyond the established elite, Greenwood expects a more competitive season overall, name-checking London City Lionesses, Tottenham and Brighton as sides capable of disrupting the usual order. Still, she downplayed any notion that City should feel under siege. "I think the reaction is from the teams who have tried to get into the top four and haven't quite got there," she said. "It's amazing though. I love seeing players come to this league and want to test themselves. In my opinion, it's the best league in the world in women's football. I don't think any game you play in the WSL is easy. We'll see when the season starts how things look. I concentrate on this team and where I'm at."
Greenwood also opened up on the personal growth that came with leading City to the title, an experience she hopes will serve her well as she also targets success with England at next summer's Women's World Cup in Brazil. "It was those big moments of pressure - I was interested to see how I would handle those situations," she said. "I've been in winning teams where we've won trophies but I was captain last season so it did feel a little bit different in terms of responsibility. I really enjoyed it. I tried to embrace it as much as I could. I relied on people to help me in situations where I felt I needed it and I don't think that's a bad thing. I'm not perfect and I don't have all the answers just because I wear the armband. I did learn a lot about myself. I learned to enjoy it along the way too because it gets tense!"
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.