Lucy Bronze
At St. Jakob-Park in Basel on 27 July 2025, England drew 1–1 with Spain and won the Women's Euro final 3–1 on penalties. Lucy Bronze, 33, was replaced by Niamh Charles in the 105th minute — the half-time of extra time — and afterwards revealed that she had played the entire tournament with a fractured tibia. "I have actually played the whole tournament with a fractured tibia, and then I have hurt my knee on my other leg," she told the BBC. Ten days earlier, in the quarter-final against Sweden, she had gone 2–0 down, headed the goal that began England's comeback, and converted her penalty in the shootout — both on the broken leg. Bronze grew up in Berwick-upon-Tweed and was banned by the FA at 12 from playing with the boys at Alnwick Town Juniors. She has had six knee operations; during one long injury spell, as a student and an Everton player, she worked at a Domino's in Leeds — "I actually loved it," she says. Playing on a fracture is not a medical recommendation. It is what she chose, and she says so plainly.