Lucy Bronze feels her and Keira Walsh’s time with Barcelona has seen them “drive a different kind of standard” in England training.
Right-back Bronze and midfielder Walsh both left Manchester City and joined the Catalan outfit last summer, the former before and the latter after they helped England win the Euros.
They have subsequently been part of a Barca team that swept to a fourth-successive domestic league title and, last month, won the Champions League – something Bronze admits has given her and Walsh “massive confidence” heading into the World Cup that starts next week.
The 31-year-old said: “My role at Barcelona is different to what it’s been in previous teams.
“Every single Barcelona player only wants to play with the ball, so the responsibility of defending falls a lot more on my head than it does elsewhere, which is different to England.
“It’s given me a different outlook on how to play football. I think Keira is the same. And I think the pair of us drive a different kind of standard now at England training that has never been there before.
“I think we’ve been able to add that when we’ve come back into camps, not the style of play necessarily but the expectation and the kind of quality you expect from a team that wins trophies like Champions Leagues and playing with the best players in the world.
“(Winning the Champions League) gives myself and Keira massive confidence – it was her first, even being my fourth (after three with Lyon) it’s something that gives you a lot of confidence going into the World Cup.”
This summer’s showpiece in Australia and New Zealand will be a third World Cup for 105-cap Bronze, having previously played in two runs that ended in the semi-finals.
At Canada 2015 – where Bronze scored in last-16 and quarter-final victories, having what she describes as her “Chloe Kelly moment” – England went down to a 2-1 last-four loss to Japan, before securing third place.
And it was then the same score in the semis of France 2019 against the United States, the winners of both tournaments.
There was also a semi-final defeat to hosts and eventual champions the Netherlands at Euro 2017, before England claimed the first trophy in their history with last summer’s Euros triumph on home soil.
Bronze has spoken previously about having not watched the finals from those World Cups due to being “heartbroken”, a feeling she says she still has.
“(It’s) because every World Cup that I’ve played in, we’ve been so close,” Bronze said.
“The difference between us and the US on the day that we played them was a VAR decision, a penalty save. That’s two things in one game, it was crazy, crazy close.”
While she now has international silverware on her CV, Bronze has stressed her “mentality has always been the same – I think I’ve always known that I’ve been capable of being in an England team that could win something”.
On the United States, who England beat 2-1 in their most recent meeting, a Wembley friendly last October, Bronze added: “I don’t even think at the time (at the 2019 World Cup) there was a difference between us.
“I think they had a really good run of form in that tournament, similar to what we had in the Euros.
“I think that’s the way World Cups and Euros work, the team that’s in form tends to have, I wouldn’t say luck, but that slight edge.
“We had that over every team in Europe last year. I think the US had it in many tournaments before.
“Early on we’ll be able to see who is in good form and I don’t think it will just be the US and ourselves that people are talking about.
“There’s a number of teams with a lot of talented players and I think we’re with those sets of talented teams.”
Martino resigns as Inter Miami coach after early playoff exit
Gerardo Martino has resigned as Inter Miami's head coach due to personal reasons, the MLS side have confirmed.
The Argentine ends his 17-month stint in charge of the Herons following their MLS Cup exit just under a fortnight ago.
Martino, who oversaw Miami's Leagues Cup triumph soon after his arrival last season, guided the franchise to this year's Supporters' Shield with a regular-season record tally of 74 points.
However, they were eliminated by his former side Atlanta United in round one of the MLS Cup playoffs.
Miami opened their best-of-three series against Atlanta with a 2-1 win, only to lose by the same scoreline in Game 2 before falling to a dramatic 3-2 defeat in the decider.
“It has been an honour to work at such a special club, and to lead such a special team," Martino said.
"I’ve enjoyed my stay at Inter Miami and will treasure the memories made and relationships forged here for the rest of my life.
"I depart with nothing but gratitude for my time here and would like to offer sincere thanks to everyone that made it possible."
Fonseca: Milan have 'respect' but 'are not afraid' of Juventus
Paulo Fonseca said Milan have plenty of "respect" for Juventus, but his side "are not afraid" of their rivals ahead of their Serie A clash on Saturday.
After a slow start to the season, Milan are six points adrift of Juventus in the table, but only a place behind them, as they aim to make up the ground on the top six.
The Rossoneri have played a game less than Thiago Motta's side, and could catapult themselves back into the Scudetto picture with a win this weekend.
Milan return to the San Siro for the first time since a 2-0 defeat to Napoli at the end of October, and could register two consecutive home defeats in Serie A for the first time since between October and November in 2023.
"It is not decisive, but it is important, like all of them," Fonseca told reporters ahead of Saturday's game.
"I can't say that the game against Juve is more important than the next one against Empoli because we need consecutive victories.
"It's a different game, but I always think positively. We are Milan, we have a lot of respect for the 'Bianconeri', but we are not afraid. We are here ready to win."
A boost for Milan is that Juventus will be without top scorer Dusan Vlahovic for Saturday's clash after returning from international duty with a muscle problem.
Despite the Serbian's absence, Fonseca was aware of the danger his probable replacement, Timothy Weah, would pose, having managed him during his time at Lille.
"Juve knows how to adapt very well. I don't know if Weah will play," Fonseca said.
"Weah is very fast and attacks deep, not like Vlahovic. It will not be the same thing of course.
"We will have to pay attention to movements in depth and less to support work, because he is a player who does less of this job."
While Fonseca has endured a stuttering start to his tenure at the San Siro, Milan have shown they have the ability to match the very best.
They beat rivals Inter in October before stunning Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in their last Champions League encounter, keeping their play-off hopes alive.
"I believe it's a matter of motivation and not pressure," Fonseca said.
"Against Inter, Juve and Real it is easy to be motivated, it's more difficult to go to Cagliari and have the same motivation.
"Pressure is always with us, every day. If we don't want to have pressure, then we shouldn't be here."
'Right guy at the right time' - Amorim confident of changing Man Utd's fortunes
Ruben Amorim believes he is the "right guy at the right time" to turn Manchester United's fortunes around.
The 39-year-old signed a two-and-a-half-year deal earlier this month to keep him at Old Trafford until June 2027, replacing Erik ten Hag after he was sacked in October.
Amorim is the sixth permanent United manager since Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, having left Sporting CP to take charge during the international break.
He won two Primeira Liga titles as Sporting head coach as well as two Taca da Liga trophies, while he led the club to a perfect start in the league this season, winning all 11 of their games.
United sit 13th in the Premier League table ahead of their trip to Ipswich Town on 15 points, though they are just four points behind Chelsea in third.
Amorim recognised the size of the task ahead of him in Manchester but is confident he can make a change.
"I'm a little bit of a dreamer and I believe in myself, and I believe in the club," he said during his first press conference.
"I think we have the same idea, the same mindset and that can help.
"I truly believe in the players; I know you don't believe a lot, but I do. I want to try new things. You guys don't think it's possible, I do.
"Call me naive, but I believe I am the right guy at the right time. I truly believe I am the right guy."
Aged 39 years and 302 days, Amorim will be the youngest to take charge of his first match for the Red Devils since Wilf McGuinness in August 1969 (31y 288d).
United have won just four of their 11 league games so far this season, and have struggled in front of goal, netting just 12 times so far.
Expected to implement his favoured 3-4-3 formation, Amorim admitted it would take time for the club to adapt and has asked for patience as the players get used to his tactics.
"I know at Manchester United we have to win games. We need a lot of time because it's a tough league, we have to improve a lot to try to win the title," he added.
"We have to change the physical aspect of the team. I don't know how long it will take."
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