Millie Bright withdrew from selection for England’s euros squad months before the tournament occurred.
She has since come out to say it was “by far the best decision I have ever made.”
The Chelsea Captain said she would be unable to give 100% mentally or physically in the tournament after a season where she made
36 appearances for Chelsea.
Bright has 88 England caps and was part of the Euro 2022-winning squad and after Leah Williamson did her ACL months ahead of the World Cup in 2023 Bright stepped up as Captain.
After winning the FA Cup against Manchester United she realised she had been ignoring ongoing issues and needed a break.
"You get into that mindset where nothing comes between what it takes to win," she told BBC Radio 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast. "It's like an engine, you just keep going.
"When the season ended, when you finally allow yourself to relax it hits you and I was like, 'I just need to take a minute otherwise I am on the verge of a breakdown'.
"For the first time in a long time I figured out where I was at mentally and I couldn't even think about the Euros. That was a big indicator that I needed to back off a little bit and just breathe. For the first time I made a decision for me and not to please other people.
"Taking the decision in the summer was by far the best decision I have ever made and one that I am actually really proud of because it is not easy by any means."
She has been under immense pressure and she desires to look after everyone and lead by example.
"If there are problems, I have to fix them," she explained. "I have to take care of people, I have to make sure my team-mates are able to give their best.
"So when you are in that leadership role you do have to give to other people, but you also have to have a little bit left to make sure you are still doing what you need to do.
"By the end of it, I had nothing left to give, I was unhappy. I am loud, bubbly, energetic and spontaneous. I felt like I had lost that and really lost myself."
Since announcing she would remove herself from selection and had a minor knee surgery to be back in fighting fitnesses for the WSL that starts this weekend.
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