Kirsty Maclean has said that Scotland are ‘definitely capable’ of fulfilling their World Cup dream and qualifying for Brazil next summer.

Scotland face Czechia home and away in the next week, should they advance past their opponents either Lithuania or Sweden will lie in wait in the next round. Melissa Andreatta’s side travel to Pardubice to face Czech Republic on Friday before welcoming their opponents to St Mirren Park next Tuesday.

Ahead of a crucial period for the Scotland Women’s National Team, Kirsty Maclean sat down to speak exclusively with The Halfway Line.

Kirsty Maclean reveals World Cup ‘dream’

Scotland were dealt a difficult hand in League B, they were drawn with Belgium, by far the highest ranked team in League B. However after two hard fought draws, it was Scotland who topped the group not the Red Flames.

The Halfway Line asked Maclean if that can give the team confidence going into the Czechia double header,

“Yeah, definitely” Maclean asserted. “I think we want to be competing in League A, and that’s obviously our aim. But yeah, we need to take confidence from finishing top of the group in League B because it was difficult.

“No one’s going to shy away from that. We’ve obviously got two massive potential play offs ahead, and obviously at home and away against Czech Republic, which will be difficult. But we’re really looking forward to it, and hopefully, we know as a group our aim is get to that World Cup, and I think it would be amazing.

“It’s obviously a dream of mine to represent Scotland at a major tournament. I think we’re definitely capable. I think as a group, we’ve maybe underachieved in the past, but hopefully this can be our year, and we can go on and do it.”

Kirsty Maclean praises ‘positive’ Melissa Andreatta

After failing to qualify for UEFA EURO 2025, the powers that be at the SFA [Scottish Football Association] decided a change was required at the top. In came Melissa Andreatta, The Halfway Line asked Liverpool midfielder Kirsty Maclean, how she’s found her time being coached by the Australian,

“Yeah, it’s been great” Maclean smiled. “She’s very positive on and off the pitch, which we definitely need as a group.

“Yeah, I think because maybe recently we’ve in past few years we’ve not got to where we want to. I think it’s important that we’ve got a manager at that to pick us up when things maybe aren’t going well, and she really believes in us all, which is where she want your manager to have confidence in you.

“So yeah, it’s really nice, and I think the environment that was created within the camp is really good for new players coming in, and also I think we’ve got a good mix now of youth players and more experienced players, which is nice, and it sets us up in good stead for the future.”

Maclean reminisces about her first Scotland camp

A little known slice of Kirsty Maclean lore is that she was once a stadium announcer at a Scotland match as a child. When The Halfway Line brought it up, Maclean’s response was immediate and we suspect involuntary,

“Oh no!” Maclean bashfully laughed. The Halfway Line asked Maclean if Scotland should qualify for the World Cup again, might we see her behind the microphone once more?

“I don’t think I’ll ever be doing that again!” Maclean smiled. “It’s funny you said that because it was at St Mirren’s Stadium, I’m a massive St Mirren fan, so I don’t know if that’s maybe how it came about.

“I can’t remember, but it was my regional coach at the time who reached out, and I think it was something that I probably didn’t want to do, but couldn’t really say no at the time, because obviously I was a young fan.

“And yeah, to meet my favourite players, that was amazing. I just, I’m not very confident, so the announcement thing was a bit difficult.

“It’s funny now” Maclean reminisced. “At my first ever Scotland camp, I hadn’t really told any of the girls, and obviously I knew a few of them from Rangers but I hadn’t told any of them about it, and then we sat down in the meeting room before the first game, and Pedro [Losa] who was our manager at the time, was talking.

“And then there was like a link up on the screen, and I thought, in youth teams we usually got a motivational video before the game, so I was just assuming that that’s what it was going to be.

“And then he clicked on the link, and it was the video [Of Maclean being a stadium announcer]. And honestly, I wanted the ground to swallow me up!

“It was terrible, all the girls thought it was hilarious, but also really cute at the time, and I didn’t find it funny at all. Yeah, the next playoff we’ve got is actually at St Mirren’s Stadium as well, so I’m a bit nervous that it gets brought up… Hopefully it doesn’t!”

Kirsty Maclean relishes playing with her Scotland hero

On that day at St Mirren Park, as Maclean mentioned, she got to meet her favourite Scottish player. The Halfway Line asked her to elaborate,

“I think it’s quite funny because I had spoken about Erin Cuthbert being my favourite player at that time, and she came in and gave me a gift at the end. And then obviously I went in and met her in camp and she had no clue![Who I was]” Maclean laughed. “So yeah, I was so embarrassed but yeah, it’s all fun and games now, I guess.”

The Halfway Line pointed out the similarities in both Maclean and Cuthbert’s game, that comparison was not lost on the young Scot,

“A lot of people have compared me to her style of play” Maclean explained. “So yeah, she’s obviously someone that I looked up to when I was younger, and be able to play and train with her in camp.

“It’s great to learn off players like that, and she’s very helpful. I think since my first camp, she’s took me under her wing a little bit on camp, but she’s helped, and she’s obviously a great player, so she’s great to have in the team.”

You can watch Kirsty Maclean and Scotland take on Czechia on BBC Alba on Friday with coverage starting from 17:50pm.