As a young girl, Millie Bright’s love of horses had her dreaming of being a star in the world of equestrianism. That all changed, though, when she went to watch a friend play in a girls’ football match near her village home in Derbyshire.
As she stood on the sidelines, the manager invited her to join the game and, having liked what he saw, went to her house a few days later to sign her up for Killamarsh Dynamos.
“I’m a front-foot defender, I want to get in there and win my battles
That was 14 years ago, and it has been a rapid rise ever since with a move to Chelsea two years ago and the chance to play in the semi-final of the European Championship tomorrow with England.
Bright, 23, began riding horses aged two and it was not an easy decision to make to put her love of dressage and show jumping to one side temporarily to pursue a career in football.
She competed at county level before working as a groom for Hannah Esberger, a dressage rider from Yorkshire, and combined the job with being a fitness instructor at a leisure centre and playing semi-professional football.
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The centre back’s football contract prevents her riding but when she hangs up her boots she plans to return to equestrianism. “I’m not sure they’d be impressed if I was on a horse and I got injured, so the horses are on hold for the minute,” she said.
“I can go back and can compete or coach, which I was going to do. I absolutely loved it and wanted to get equestrian teaching qualifications and compete at the highest level.”
In her football career, Bright started out as a striker and has played in every position – including one match in goal - before she settled as a centre back, making her way to Chelsea via Sheffield United’s academy and Doncaster Belles.
Her family have been out in force in the Netherlands, all wearing shirts with ‘Bright 16’ on the back, and they will be there when England play the hosts for a place in the final in Enschede tomorrow night.
“My family have been blowing up my phone, they are really overwhelmed,” Bright said. “I tried to come in and play with no fear and make sure that I stick to what I know I can do.”
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Bright has never played against Vivianne Miedema, the striker who recently joined Arsenal, but expects Holland to be physical and fast. Mandy van den Berg, the Holland captain plays for Reading, Shanice van de Sanden for Liverpool and there are four Arsenal players in the squad.
“They’re very attacking-minded and look to get up and down the pitch so it will be a very high-paced game,” Bright said. “They’re physical, they’re not afraid of a challenge, they’re a very strong team. I always look forward to a tough game.”
Bright turned down an initial approach from Chelsea as it did not feel right, but a year later the club came calling again and she accepted and left home for the first time two years ago. She won the domestic double in her first season and was named England Young Player of the Year in November. At Chelsea, she has had the benefit of watching the likes of Gary Cahill and John Terry at close quarters.
“I’m a family kind of person and home is a big thing for me but I said ‘mum, I’m moving to Chelsea,’ ” she said. “I have looked up to John Terry, he has been a massive defender and a rock. I have watched a lot of his clips, how he positions himself and deals with one-one-ones.
“In the women’s game, I have learnt from Steph Houghton alongside me. I go into a game with a couple of points and just go off those. If you give yourself too much to think about, mistakes come in. I keep it basic. I’m a front-foot defender, I want to get in there and win my battles and never hesitate to go in for a challenge. It allows you to dominate the striker. You have to make the strikers fear you and make it difficult for them to get on the ball and go into different areas. That makes my job easier.”
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The determination was instilled in her by Arthur, her grandfather and a former miner. He gave an honest appraisal after games and checked her if she went into tackles half-hearted. “He’ll always say ‘Millie you’ll get injured, you’ve lost your battle,’ ” Bright said. “He’s really competitive, just like me. When a lot of people doubted me, he’s always been the one to pick me up and he’s the guy to I go to for the football talk. My mum is not really up on the rules.”
Her uncle took her to watch a few Sheffield Wednesday games, but she admits not to be a football fan and has no team. She prefers playing rather than watching. Her matchday ritual is to speak to her mother, sister and two nephews on FaceTime during the day – then cut off all contact to concentrate. She eats a peanut butter and banana snack before she goes out. Between games she has been among the players who have been glued to Love Island and watched The Little Mermaid this week and has spent time with her family visiting Utrecht. “Being around family takes me away from football and then when I go back I’m fresh, my mind’s clear,” she said.
Bright, who is the only player in the England squad to have started all four games during the finals, telephoned her mother when she received an email confirming her selection for the squad for the tournament. “I shouted ‘mum, I’ve done it,’ ” she said. “She was crying, and I had tears in my eyes as it sank in.”