Millie Bright’s life appeared to be going well just months ago: she was captaining Chelsea’s defense, supporting England’s backline, and getting ready for a Euro 2025 campaign that many thought she would win. But abruptly and subtly, her legacy on the field started to fade as her personal life outside of it took center stage. Conversations about football have abruptly shifted to her romantic life after her abrupt breakup with longtime partner and fiancé Levi Crew and reports that she is currently seeing personal trainer Dave Zetolofsky.

Since at least 2020, Bright had been working with Crew, a performance coach and nutritionist who was born in the United States. Their relationship appeared to be particularly strong, as evidenced by a tattoo on their forearm that was half Levi’s eye and half a tiger. She referred to it as “my core strength through thick and thin.” The deeply personal and emotionally significant inking now acts as a tangible reminder of a closed chapter.

Millie Bright Personal & Professional Details

Full NameMillie Bright
Date of BirthAugust 21, 1993
Age31 (as of 2025)
HometownChesterfield, England
Current ClubChelsea FC Women
PositionCentre-back
National TeamEngland Women’s National Team
Current StatusWithdrew from Euro 2025 due to injury
Ex-FiancéLevi Crew (PT, Nutritionist)
New PartnerDave Zetolofsky (Muay Thai Instructor)

In 2024, the couple became engaged by Christmas. Bright’s ecstatic “I said YES” Instagram post radiated romantic certainty after Levi proposed over the holidays. Reports, however, indicated that their relationship had ended less than six months later. According to people close to the couple, the breakup happened quietly but swiftly, characterized by growing tensions and emotional distance.

Bright started training at Redhill’s 21st Century Combat Gym in the first few weeks of 2025. She allegedly became close to Dave Zetolofsky, a Muay Thai expert, former kickboxer, and father of seven, while she was surrounded by bags and pads. It was a delicate moment. Dave remained married. In January, his wife, Katie, had just given birth. Nevertheless, he left his family’s house within a few weeks and was reportedly lodging in hotels that Bright had paid for, according to friends.

What started out as a trainer-athlete professional relationship quickly evolved into something more. According to sources, Dave had moved into Bright’s Surrey house by spring. The action was particularly audacious for a public figure with Millie’s level of discipline and media awareness. Notably, it fell at the same time as her abrupt decision to leave England’s Euro 2025 squad, which she justified by citing the need for surgery and mental recovery rather than the controversy.

The media narrative, however, wrote itself. Both critics and Bright’s admirers were left to try to understand the abrupt changes. On the one hand, high-achieving athletes who are placed in emotionally and physically demanding situations frequently undergo personal transformations. On the other hand, the social backlash was undeniable.

In the fitness industry, Zetolofsky, 39, was known for being a dynamic trainer with a captivating presence. It has been reported that Bright was profoundly impacted by that charisma. Zetolofsky and Bright trained together in public despite the emotional toll on his wife Katie, who is now raising a five-month-old child by herself. She’s fallen “hook, line, and sinker,” according to some insiders.

Professional sports frequently undergo romantic transitions, but few are as widely reported. Bright’s story adds to the expanding conversation in women’s football about the emotional toll that top athletes bear and how it relates to media sensationalism. Although not with the same tabloid speed, fellow England celebrities Lucy Bronze and Mary Earps have also experienced personal difficulties while under public scrutiny.

The reactions of teammates and supporters, however, may be the most telling factor. Many of her supporters have noticeably turned their attention from the general censure to her recuperation and future fitness. The fact that women in sports are able to make difficult personal choices free from presumptive moral judgment is a positive indication of changing attitudes.

Bright’s choice to put his own mental clarity and physical health ahead of his national duty may also be a sign of a larger change in football culture. Elite female athletes are increasingly taking charge of their mental health and deciding to back off when necessary instead of overcoming hardship. Previously perceived as a sign of weakness, this decision is now acknowledged as exceptionally successful leadership.

Accordingly, Millie Bright is subtly changing the definition of strength through vulnerability, introspection, and decisive action rather than through awards or tackles. Even though it is unorthodox, her relationship with Zetolofsky is a chapter she has chosen to write boldly and independently. Her private life seems to be guided with equal vigor by the same tenacity that supports her defense on the field.

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