Lucy Bronze has never been one to sit idle, and this summer without a major international tournament has given her the space to channel her restless energy into causes close to her heart, from football governance reform to humanitarian work in South America.
Speaking at Chelsea's Cobham training ground, the England and Chelsea defender described a mind that rarely switches off. "I'm not good at watching TV – I can't sit still," she said, explaining that she doesn't listen to music or podcasts because her own thoughts provide constant company. Bronze, who received a late diagnosis of ADHD and autism, said her mother had long suspected as much. Teammate Naomi Girma has remarked on Bronze's ability to train intensely without any music, to which Bronze replied that it's simply unnecessary given the activity already happening in her head.
Outside of walking her dog, Nala, Bronze channels her energy into numerous off-field commitments, including seats on the PFA players' board and involvement with Fifpro and Uefa. She serves alongside Kim Little on the PFA board, and the pair frequently discuss ways to use their experience in the game to drive change, even if the scale of ambition sometimes outpaces what can be achieved immediately.
That drive for reform has recently put Bronze in the spotlight over Fifa president Gianni Infantino's abandoned plan to sell off World Cup assets. Earlier this month she supported the idea of a European boycott of Fifa competitions, telling the New Zealand Herald that the cause was about safeguarding football's future rather than her own immediate interests. Ahead of Chelsea's 5-2 Champions League qualifying win over Real Sociedad, Bronze explained her decision to amplify a social media post from former France international Mikaël Silvestre, a member of Fifa's players' voice panel, who argued that change was needed at the top of the sport. "The football comes first no matter what, no matter who's in charge, who's playing... and it feels like now is a good time for players to speak up," she said.
Bronze also used the quieter summer period to finally complete a long-planned trip to Colombia, working with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), an organization she has supported since being asked to help with fundraising during the Covid pandemic. The visit had been postponed multiple times at the request of England manager Sarina Wiegman, who was wary of the physical toll of travel before major tournaments including the 2023 World Cup and the Euros.
Colombia is currently grappling with a humanitarian crisis, hosting an estimated 2.8 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants alongside seven million internally displaced people. Bronze described the experience as intense both emotionally and physically, particularly witnessing the resilience of children living in dire circumstances. She recalled bringing shirts donated by Girma, whose own parents were refugees, and sharing that story with a young girl who captained an otherwise all-boys football team. Seeing the girl's reaction to Girma's journey left a lasting impression on Bronze, though she admitted the trip also had painful moments, including children asking to leave with the group.
Back in club football, Bronze is optimistic about Chelsea's direction under manager Sonia Bompastor following an intensive pre-season. She suggested the club endured a difficult transitional period last season as the team balanced its winning identity with the need to evolve, but believes Bompastor now has the structure and trust in place to fully implement her vision.
Chelsea have also announced that all Women's Super League fixtures will move to Stamford Bridge, beginning with the visit of Aston Villa, while domestic cup matches will remain at Kingsmeadow. Bronze called the move a clear signal of the club's ambitions beyond domestic dominance. "We need to win the Champions League, we need to grow as a team, we need to grow in the way that we play and the people that we bring in, and we need to have a stadium that represents that ambition," she said.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football.