Growing up in North London, playground football at Primary school was always Arsenal v Spurs.  All the Arsenal fans were on one team and all the Spurs fan the other.  Line ups forever defined by who you support at age 7.  It was the same for England and Lyon footballer Lucy Bronze but with Figo instead of Paul Merson and Dunga instead of Gazza.

We spoke to Lucy Bronze as part of Your First Football Shirt.  An illustrated book of 30 interviews with footballers and famous fans raising money for CALM + Willow.

What was your first football shirt?

My family weren’t really into football. My brother used to get loads of shirts but I just got tennis gear and hand-me-downs. My first shirt was the full Portugal kit. 

My dad is Portuguese, and one year we went on holiday and they bought me the full kit! It was burgundy with green shorts. I didn’t have a player on the back, but it was the Figo era and everyone loved him.  My best mate had the full Brazil kit and we used to play Portugal v Brazil in our full kits.

What is your favourite football shirt?

My favourite kit I’ve worn is England, especially my first shirt. I’m not really one for memorabilia. The only shirt I’ve framed is the first England shirt I wore for the Under-17s. It’s still got Ribena stains on it. Considering I’ve got 60 games, I’ve only got around four shirts.

Pick up your copy of the book here and order your illustration of Lucy Bronze here with all profits going to CALM + Willow.

Illustrator:  Catherine Pape