LUCY BRONZE said yesterday she was overwhelmed with being nominated for the BBC sports personality of the year award , capping a tremendous year for the Manchester City defender.

Bronze was part of the England side which finished third at this year’s World Cup, scoring two crucial goals as the Lionesses captured the hearts of the nation.

The 24-year-old was last week named the FA women’s player of the year and, after learning she was a contender for the BBC award, cancelled her plans to go on holiday so she could attend the awards on December 20.

“I got a phone call three weeks ago, when there was an inkling that one of the England girls might be nominated,” Bronze said.

“Steph (Houghton) and Fara (Williams) were already going to the awards and I was asked if I was nominated would I come, and I said that of course I’d come.

“I was meant to be on holiday but I said: ‘Yes that’s fine, I’ll come back.’

“I was thinking that I wasn’t going to get nominated but later I got a call saying: ‘Lucy, you have been nominated, are you going to come back from your holiday?’ I said: ‘What? Yes, I guess I’ll have to.’

“I’ve always looked at the people who have been nominated over the years, like David Beckham, an absolute global superstar, Lewis Hamilton — all these people who are recognised all over the world for what they do in their sport.

“It never crossed my mind to think a women’s footballer would ever be up, let alone think of myself in that category.”

While England and Bronze have ambitions of winning Euro 2017, the City defender hopes that Roy Hodgson can lead England to glory next summer in the men’s Euro 2016.

Bronze believes that the men’s side can use what she and her teammates achieved in Canada as inspiration heading into France, with a run of successful tournaments a real possibility.

“Hopefully what we did maybe does rub off on them and the nation can support them the way they supported us.

Hopefully the nation can support them in the Euros and they can bring back a Euros medal.”

One of Bronze’s opponents for the award is sexist heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, though how long he remains on the nomination list remains to be seen as the online petition to have him kicked off the list reached 75,000 signatures.

Fury caused outrage last week after footage emerged of him saying that: “A woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back.”