Rachel Corsie has been announced as the new captain of the Scotland Women’s National Team with Kim Little taking up the position of vice-captain under newly appointed head coach Shelley Kerr.
Corsie will take over the reigns from Gemma Fay who retired following Euro 2017 and will lead the side for the first time in an international challenge match against Hungary on Thursday, 14 September.
The game will act as preparation ahead of the World Cup qualifiers where Scotland have been drawn with Switzerland, Poland, Belarus and Albania.
Aged 28, Corsie has donned the Scotland shirt on 91 occasions and played in all three Euro 2017 matches.
The defender, who plays for Seattle Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League, wore the captain’s armband for Scotland-Under 19s before making her debut for her country in 2009 against France.
She has previous experience of being captain, having led Scotland in a 2-0 Cyprus Cup win over England in March 2011, the first time Scotland had defeated their ancient rivals for more than 30 years.
Upon being named captain, Corsie said: “I am really proud and incredibly humbled. I hope I can serve the team well.
“I believe my role as captain is to exemplify the attributes and the identity of the team, and help us be united in striving towards our objectives.
“I want to do my best for the team in every way and hope I can be a good link between all staff and players.
“I have huge boots to fill following the retirement of Gemma Fay who demonstrated the passion and dedication that epitomises our Scottish culture.
“The growth of this team over recent years has been enormous, and as current players, we have the responsibility and opportunity to continue that.”
Looking back on her experience of playing at Euro 2017 and meeting up with the team tomorrow for the first time since the tournament she said: “The Euros was a fantastic experience but as a group, we felt disappointed not to go further, which reflects the huge expectations and belief we have.
“We are all really excited to work under Shelley Kerr and learn from her knowledge and experience.
“I admired her as a player, and her competitiveness and desire is something I believe can help us grow and reach our next success.”
After announcing her new captain, head coach Shelley Kerr said: “Rachel is an excellent choice as she is a leader on and off the park and uses her vast playing experiences to guide the younger players.
“She has been one of the leaders in the squad for a number of years and has shown a real passion for developing other leaders within the group.
“Her role as captain will be one she embraces and she will slot into the role seamlessly.
“I’m also pleased to announce Kim Little as vice-captain. She is an incredibly talented player who is looked up to by everyone in the squad. We are wishing her well in her recovery from injury and look forward to having her back in a Scotland shirt soon.”