MILLIE BRIGHT is ready to lead her country to glory.
The Lionesses centre back, 29, is fit to start for England against Haiti in the Group D opener on Saturday.
England captain Millie Bright boasts a brilliant tattooed arm sleeve
Bright is a regular visitor to A Star Tattoos’ Dan RossetterInstagram @astartattoos
Although she hasn’t played a game since March after suffering a knee injury, coach Sarina Wiegman confirmed her captain could start.
“We’re happy,” Wiegman said in a press conference. “This was the plan. The plan worked and Millie is ready to play.”
During her time away from the game, Bright added to her tattoo collection.
The Chelsea defender has a sleeve on her arm with ink designed by A Star Tattoos artist Dan Rossetter.
But what are her tattoos – and what do they mean?
Eye of the tiger
Found on her left outside forearm, Millie has an eye and half a tiger.
Both have significant meaning.
The eye is a design of her partner Levi Crew’s. While the tiger represents an important part of her game. Strength.
“It’s my partner’s eye and half a tiger, my core strength with me through thick and thin.” she told SunSport.
On her left outside forearm Bright has her partner’s eye and a tiger
The eye can be better seen nearer Bright’s wrist
Dream big
For her dreamcatcher tattoo, Bright turned designer.
On the inside of her left forearm, this ink was a dedication to her mum’s inspiring words.
Bright revealed: “I designed a dreamcatcher, my mum says dream big before every game.”
Millie’s mum Nicola paid tribute to her daughter after the Lionesses won the Euros.
She said: “The most heart-warming part of this journey is people like Millie like we do.”
A dreamcatcher represents Millie’s mum’s wise words to dream big
Owl
Bright was born in the village of Killamarsh, on the outskirts of Sheffield.
Her rural surroundings meant she grew up around horses as a kid.
There were also plenty of owls, which is a throwback to her childhood.
“An owl, memories from back home – at the stables we always had an owl which came every single year,” she said of that tattoo.
Bright’s owl represents her rural upbringing in Yorkshire
Sleeping on the job
However, when she got her owl tattoo – that took five hours to complete – she embarrassingly fell asleep.
Bright dropped into A Star Tattoos in Chessington, Greater London, back in March.
Tattoo artist Dan Rossetter filmed the action live. Which actually turned out to be a snoozefest.
Dan said: “At the beginning of the session we were having a chat, a catchup from when I’d last seen her – she was telling me about the football and bits and pieces.
“I was just about to start up the conversation again and I thought, ‘oh, I’m getting no response here’. I looked down and she’d fallen asleep.
Bright has fallen asleep when being tattooed by artist Dan Rossetter
“I was quite surprised. It was funny. My reaction must have been a picture to start off with.
“She’d wake up and say, ‘sorry about that, it must be the football’”.
