England defender Millie Bright shared her heartache at the news that compatriot and best friend Rachel Daly would be hanging up her England boots.
Daly, 32, announced on social media on Wednesday morning that she was retiring from international football - just hours after coming on as a late substitute in the reigning European champions' 2-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland in their Euro 2025 qualification campaign.
Daly owed the decision to the need to "pass on the baton to the next generation", adding that it has been "the greatest honour to represent my family, my teammates and the entire country." The Aston Villa striker will continue to feature for her club.
News of Daly's retirement from the England national, understood to have been announced to the team after Tuesday night's victory, has sent shockwaves through the women's football milieu and also stirred emotions from fellow Lionesses Bright and Beth Mead.
Bright, who has not featured for England due to a long-term injury, quote tweeted Daly's announcement with a string of broken red heart emojis. She then left an emotional comment under Daly's Instagram post.
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"I don’t have many words right now. I’ve shed a lot of tears knowing this was coming," Bright wrote. "I am the proudest best friend of everything you’ve achieved in your international career. You’ve given your heart and soul to your country over and over again. I love you."
Beth Mead commented similarly, writing: "So proud of you, no words to describe how gutted I am but what an international career it’s been. So happy to have been a part of it. Love you Rachy", while England No Mary Earps wrote simply: "National treasure" with a red heart emoji. Alessia Russo, Lauren Hemp, Fran Kirby, Keira Walsh and Jordan Nobbs also left messages under the post.
Chelsea defender Bright has been a trusted and fierce friend of Daly's through the England set-up. Indeed, the pair not only share matching '1/2' tattoos on their hands, acquired during last summer's Women's World Cup but also shared a heart-warming pre-match England ritual which included Bright kissing Daly’s wristband in honour of the goal-scorer's late father.
Millie Bright and Rachel Daly have been long-time friends (Photo by Naomi Baker - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)Daly lost her father, Martyn, in September 2021. Ever since the Euro 2022 winner has worn white tape around her left wrist with the words ‘DAD’ etched onto it in black pen during every match. After netting her first-ever World Cup goal last summer in the 6-1 rout of China in the group stages, Daly was seen kissing her wristband in tribute.
And it transpires that before every England match, Bright kisses the wristband before every game in the squad changing room. On the matching ink, Daly explained earlier this year: "It took us ages to find the right one and we ended up going with a half on our hands because she is the other half of me, my life is not complete without her."
She added: "[Bright] first came into the squad, it was only a couple of camps after me, and we just hit it off straight away. It was probably that Yorkshire connection - loud. We always knew we kind of knew each other when she was at Donny and I was at Leeds and we never looked back." Both Bright and Daly were part of the triumphant Euro 2022 campaign for England.
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