Sarina so 'grateful' to Bright spark for Lionesses!

ENGLAND boss Sarina Wiegman insisted she would always be “grateful” to Millie Bright after the Chelsea defender announced her retirement from international football.

- By SUNNY BADWAL

Sarina Wiegman

Wiegman will start to prepare for life without the former Lionesses captain, who was not included in her latest 25-player squad to face Brazil and Australia this month, after she stepped down from national team duty on Monday.

The 32-year-old earned 88 caps and helped England to European Championship glory on home soil in 2022 before she captained her nation to the World Cup final the following year.

Bright was not a part of the team that won Euro 2025 after she pulled out of the squad to prioritise her physical and mental health.

Wiegman hailed her former centre-back and said: “At the back of the Euros we had a conversation and Millie told me she was retiring.

“She’s been huge for us, me, the team, on and off the pitch. She's been a great personality and leader.