You are my mums (a Lucy Bronze fanfic) - Book 2

Chapter 19 - Prove them all wrong

6th April 2023

Rosie's POV:

"Come on Rosie, better passes...they need to be sharper" My captain shouts towards me across the training pitch. She had only been back in training a week and I could already tell the difference. When Alexia was injured, Sandra took the temporary role of captain. During training sessions, the goalkeepers went off with the goalkeeping coach to do their own, specialised session. This meant that there wasn't a designated captain during the sessions. Obviously they were still done to a high intensity and there wasn't really a need for a captain, but Alexia's return had changed things round a bit. It felt like she was watching and monitoring my every move - deciding whether I was good enough for the team. 

Only half the team were actually in training because it was international camp. Previously, I would've gone back to England to watch the games in person, but now that isn't possible. I have a job that I need to fulfill and can't just leave the country whenever I want. Some of the Spanish girls had gone, but not all of them due to the problems with their national team and manager. Ingrid, Frido, Caroline, Ana, Geyse, Lucy, Keira, Jana, Irene and Salma had all gone off to their respective national teams. England were playing against Brazil in the finallisima and Spain were playing Norway. Sweden were to play Denmark, followed by Norway a few days later. 

Eventually, Lucy and Keira had allowed me to stay home alone for the week. They had tried to persuade me to go and live with Alexia for a week, but I just wanted to be in my own home. So instead of me going to Alexia's, Lucy organised for Alexia to come and stay with me. It was great, apart from days where I'd have a bad session, she'd pick me up on it and then we would barely talk for the evening. I know she doesn't mean any harm, but there's a lot of pressure on me at the minute and I don't need her adding to it.

In February, I signed a deal with Nike who now sponsor me. They provided me with multiple pairs of football boots, new clothes, new footballs amongst other stuff. I did a photoshoot with them, and soon enough me and Lucy were appearing on advertisements and billboards across Europe as this powerful mother-daughter duo. People began stopping me in the street, asking for photos and autographs. Even when I didn't play at games, everyone wanted a photo with Lucy Bronze's daughter. However, Nike had warned me that if I didn't play a game within the first 3 months of singing, they would remove the sponsor. After all, they couldn't be sponsoring a footballer who didn't play football. That left me until the end of May to show Jonatan that I deserved to play a few minutes. If not, I would forever be known as the player who's deal with Nike was revoked due to lack of game time. 

Joining the B team had been harder than I expected. It was great playing with world-class players everyday, but it was also a problem. The majority of them had been professional for a very long time and had impeccable technique and skills. Even Vicky Lopez who's similar age to me played for Barcelona for the youth groups before joining. I played for my old school back in Sunderland, a season at Man City and spent another season on the bench. It has been a very long time since I've played a full game or even a partial game. Nearly a year to be exact. Barcelona were incredible - both technically and physically fit. Alongside the heat, training was a struggle some days. I kept telling myself I just needed to be aclimatised to the warm weather, but it has been 2 months and the weather seems to only be getting hotter.

Fans were constantly asking me online and in person when I would be playing. All I could reply with is I'm not sure but I hope to be soon. News articles were being published about whether joining Barcelona was the right decision for me or if it would be a flop. I still stand by my decision. They wanted me and no other club had shown any interest. It had only been two months, but it was getting a little bit irritating when week after week I wouldn't see my name on the teamsheet or on the bench at least.