Millie Bright has opened up on the "emotional rollercoaster" experienced after the Lionesses’ triumphant Euro2022 campaign last summer.
The Chelsea centre-back played a critical role in Sarina Wiegman’s side bringing football home in their 2-1 victory over Germany in front of a sold-out Wembley Stadium.
And as the 29-year-old continues to extend her impeccable England form on the pitch with title-chasers Chelsea, Bright admitted that “the best day of my life” ebbed into an “extremely difficult” period before the WSL season kicked into gear almost immediately.
"It [that period] was extremely tough," Bright told Mirror Football. "After the tournament I was exhausted mentally and physically. The emotional rollercoaster was tough to deal with.”
The hyper-focus on the Euros and lack of downtime between the major tournament’s end and club football’s start has made for heated diatribe around the women’s game and whether necessary support is afforded players as the appetite for women’s game increases.
And Bright has added her experience to the mix, stating that the challenge of "going again" so quickly after clinching England’s first major trophy was no easy feat.
"We were all focused every day during the Euros, so mentally we were all tired when we had the release after winning, we didn’t let-up once throughout the month," she said. "Regardless of the outcome, I just wanted to make sure I had done everything possible I could do. That is how I always go into games.
"Then after I can tell myself, I've done everything and helped everyone as much as I can. It was really tiring but at the same time I was eager to get back. I wanted to keep the standard high."
The club season has offered little reprieve for Bright as Chelsea continue to fight on all competitive fronts for silverware. Chelsea sit top of the WSL table as they bid for a fourth successive WSL title and are in the final stages of the FA Cup and Conti Cup. In March, the club will re-embark on their Champions League campaign as they enter the last eight.
Bright admitted she relishes the constant challenge afforded her at a club like Chelsea, which will only be augmented come summer as the Women’s World Cup kicks into gear in Australia and New Zealand.
Sarina Wiegman’s side are favourites in the showpiece event, and Bright stated that the taste of major tournament success in the summer has only increased her expectations for what England is capable of when July arrives.
"Winning a major trophy like that has pushed me on to keep succeeding and reaching a whole new level," Bright said. "The pressure doesn’t go after winning, it just increases your own expectations, mine have become so much higher."
England lost to eventual winners USA in the semi-finals of the 2019 Women's World Cup and were beaten to third-place by Sweden in a 2-1 defeat.
Chelsea return to action on Thursday as they travel to West Ham for the semi-finals of the FA WSL Cup.
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