Cool Cuthbert’s Coming Up (Erin Cuthbert interview)

Eighteen-year-old Glasgow City midfielder Erin Cuthbert made her Scotland debut at half time in Belarus in June, days after the painful four-nil defeat by Iceland, and calls it a dream come true that made the training and sacrifices worthwhile. She idolised Julie Fleeting, who was local to her, from the age of four. The step from Under-16 to senior football is huge, she says, physically and mentally, and demands that you know your role. On qualification she believes Scotland fear nobody. Asked how Scotland can progress to qualifying regularly, she answers directly: a professional league at home, pointing to Iceland’s small population and noting that many of the squad already play abroad.