'Bring the magic' - Scotland's Ross eyes World Cup dream

Leanne Ross is Scotland's most decorated player, earning 133 international caps across a career which garnered 14 league titles and 13 major cup medals, but still the national team's assistant coach wants more.

Having reached the 2017 European Championship, Ross was part of the first women's squad to compete at a major tournament, but one thing has eluded her. A World Cup.

Ross retired after the Euros, meaning she did not take part in the 2019 edition in France, but her dream has not been dashed.

Scotland are a wee bit away from booking flights and hotels for Brazil 2027. Up next is a round one play-off double-header against Czech Republic, live on the BBC, but the excitement is building.

"It would be huge," Ross said the day before the Scots travel to Pardubice, east of Prague, for the first leg. "I never got to do it as a player, reaching that World Cup stage.

"I played in the Euro finals and that was an amazing experience and just topped off my career as a player, but to go and do it as part of the coaching staff, it would be such a proud moment."

Ross is part of the SWNT furniture, having seamlessly shifted into a coaching role following her stellar playing career, so she knows a thing or two about what makes the team tick.

She also knows what its like to taste play-off pain.

Two years ago, it was Finland who denied Scotland a place at the 2025 Euros. Before that, Republic of Ireland romped to the World Cup in Australia.

Many in the squad still carry the scars of both final-hurdle failures.

From the outside, it's fair to fear a repeat, with heavyweights Sweden potentially lying in wait in round two.

But Ross isn't thinking like that. Instead, her confidence of "getting back to where we want to be" stems from the squad bringing their "magic".

"The progress that we're making and the way that we're playing at this moment is a real good opportunity for us to do that," Ross - who is Glasgow City head coach - said of ending the team's eight-year wait for a return to a major tournament.

"You look at the quality we have, the teams that they're playing for, the environments that they're in and individually them bringing their magic into this team and putting that all together.

"I think it's a really exciting time for Scotland with the players we have. We need to make sure we give them the platform to go, play and get themselves on that world stage."