Recovering a Google account when you no longer have the phone

Go through Google's account recovery and use 'Try another way' on every step until it offers something you still have, usually the recovery email. What helps more than anything: do it from a laptop or tablet you've signed into that account on before, on your home wifi. Google weighs the familiar device and location heavily. If it refuses, don't hammer it. Wait a few days and try again from that same device. Repeated failed attempts in one sitting make it worse, not better.