Though she only joined the squad in November, Scotland has long been a dream for Miri Taylor.
The Aston Villa midfielder, who spent childhood summers in Elgin, yearned to honor her late grandmother's homeland on the international stage. But she waited patiently, determined to arrive ready for the challenge.
"I needed to be in the right headspace," Taylor explains. "International football demands a certain maturity—I didn't want to jump in until I could give my absolute best."
Since her debut off the bench in a friendly draw against Ukraine late last year, Taylor has seamlessly integrated into Melissa Andreatta's side, earning four caps and showcasing the growth she deliberately cultivated.
Her path to the Scotland jersey was anything but straightforward. After returning from university in the United States and signing with Liverpool three years ago, Taylor doubted her readiness for the international arena.
"I didn't think I was of the required quality back then," she admits. "I lacked the footballing maturity I felt Scotland deserved. It was about re-evaluating, growing as both a player and a person."
That growth has been swift and significant. Taylor's football journey began in mixed-gender Sunday leagues—much to her mother's initial chagrin.
"My mum hoped I'd be a dancer," Taylor recalls with a laugh. "But football was my calling from the start."
She progressed through local club Gillingham and a stint at Charlton Athletic before joining Chelsea's renowned academy as a teenager. Training alongside seasoned professionals like Katie Chapman and Millie Bright shaped her early understanding of elite standards.
"Seeing their day-to-day professionalism molded my aspirations," she says.
After seven formative years at Chelsea, Taylor spent a season at Arsenal—fulfilling a promise to her Gunners-supporting father—before pursuing a scholarship at Hofstra University in the U.S.
"Playing alongside leaders like Kim Little and Alex Scott, even briefly, influenced how I approach the game," she notes. "Those experiences built the foundation I needed."
Now, with her Scotland career blossoming, Taylor reflects on what this opportunity means.
"Making my grandmother proud is everything," she says. "This journey was about earning the right to represent her country—and now that I'm here, I'm determined to make every moment count."