England manager Sarina Wiegman awarded Bright the captaincy for the tournament Down Under. The 29-year-old was declared fit to feature for the Lionesses having worked her way back from a knee injury sustained during our Champions League quarter-final tie away to Lyon in March.

Bright has played every minute for England and contributed to three clean sheets in four games. She played alongside Chelsea team-mate Jess Carter during their last-16 penalty shoot-out victory over Nigeria on Monday, where the Blues duo played key roles in keeping the Super Falcons at bay.

Relishing the honour of captaining her country, Bright has spoken about her leadership style and referred to the legacy of a familiar Chelsea and England skipper as the team prepare for Saturday’s quarter-final clash with Colombia.

‘JT was a big one for me,’ Bright said. ‘I think the way he carried himself and he always stepped out on the pitch fearless and stepped up. Every team that he’s played in I think he’s done that and he’s led by example, his actions have spoken louder than his words. For me that’s definitely something I believe in as well.

‘Off the pitch I think he’s a great human, he’s very caring. I know a lot from a personal level that he’s always given a lot to the women’s team. On the pitch, without a shadow of a doubt.’

There is an assumption that the captain does all the talking, however Bright was quick to emphasise this England team take shared responsibility to bring the best out of each individual and create a group capable of going the distance.

‘Everyone is equal within our team, I think sometimes it’s seen as the captain has to say the orders, it’s not like that at all. I think it’s taken us a while to get to that place over the years. I think that’s something Sarina’s brought in, we need those conversations.

‘It’s how you get better and how you develop. It’s all part of growth, it’s about how we get the best out of each other and be the best in the world.’

Our World Cup stars will return to domestic action when the Women’s Super League season begins in October. Click here to view our ticket bundles and find out how to secure your seats for 2023/24!