Head coach Melissa Andreatta acknowledges that while Caroline Weir prefers to shift the focus onto her teammates, it’s difficult to overlook her impressive feat of scoring seven goals in just two matches over the span of four days.
These goals were pivotal in securing Scotland’s top position in their Women’s World Cup qualifying group, narrowly edging out Belgium.
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A 5-1 victory against Israel in Budapest ensured that Scotland maintained a crucial edge over their rivals in goal difference, despite the Belgian team scoring seven unanswered goals against Luxembourg.
Weir’s scoring prowess stood out as she added four more goals to her earlier hat-trick in Scotland’s 6-0 demolishing of the same Israeli side.
When asked if Weir’s exceptional performance further solidifies her superstar status, Andreatta responded, “Absolutely, but I believe she wouldn’t want me to dwell on her too much. She’s quite humble.”
“Caroline prefers to shift the spotlight to her teammates, and she’s incredibly supported by the other leaders in the group. Everyone in this 25-player squad plays a crucial role; no contribution is too small when we have such a big goal in mind. This truly has been a team effort.”
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“There’s always a teammate who provides that pass and sets her up. She raises the standards, yet she also lifts others alongside her, and that’s what I find particularly gratifying.”
Scots ‘not stressed’ amid Belgian goal avalanche
Weir recognizes the immense pressure on Scotland, especially with fellow midfielder Erin Cuthbert‘s absence due to a long-term knee injury after her impressive performance on Friday, where she scored and assisted two goals.
“I bear a significant responsibility,” admitted the 30-year-old to BBC Scotland. “As one of the more senior players, I feel a duty to lead this team, alongside other experienced players.”
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“As I mentioned previously, reaching the World Cup is my dream. I’m committed to doing everything I can to help the team by scoring and creating opportunities. That’s my role.”
With Belgium exerting considerable pressure in Luxembourg, Weir said, “To be honest, the team wasn’t fully aware of the situation at first. I knew at half-time we were in a favorable position, but kept it to myself.”
“Towards the end of the match, Mel informed me of the circumstances. However, our focus remained primarily on our performance.”
“We kept scoring in the second half, which helped maintain our concentration and kept any stress at bay.
“We were aware that Belgium wouldn’t relent. Given their recent scoring success, we knew we needed to bring our best performance and keep finding the back of the net, which we accomplished.”
As for her club future, Weir has not yet disclosed her next move after receiving a guard of honour from her Real Madrid teammates at the conclusion of her four years with the Spanish league runners-up.
Last year, she became the first Scottish player nominated for the Ballon d’Or Féminin and will surely attract interest this upcoming season.
For the time being, she expressed, “We can take a moment to unwind tonight, enjoy a break, and then shift our focus back to the next season.”
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England or the Republic of Ireland waiting in the wings?
Regardless of where she finds herself next season, Weir is setting her sights on October and the challenging World Cup play-offs ahead.
As the third-best League B winner, trailing only Switzerland and Portugal, and sitting ahead of Wales on goal difference, Scotland ranks 19th heading into the playoff draw on June 24.
This places them in a favorable position to avoid teams like Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, and Ukraine, who finished at the bottom of their League A groups, allowing Scotland to face one of the League B runners-up or third-place teams, such as Albania, Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Israel, and Northern Ireland, Slovakia, or Turkey.
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A successful outing in that two-legged play-off in October will lead to another round to secure a spot in the finals in Brazil, likely against one of the League A runner-ups or third-placed teams.
England and Republic of Ireland are among the teams expected to advance against the Group C winners.
While that prospect is still some time away, Weir mentioned she “would kind of want to play them right now,” while also hoping that Cuthbert will have enough time to recover and return.
“Her absence is a huge blow for us,” she commented. “She’s an essential player, both on and off the pitch, a true talent and leader.”
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“We certainly felt her absence tonight and we’re hoping her recovery proceeds well so she can make it back for the play-offs.”
Despite this, Weir expressed immense pride in her team’s performance during Cuthbert’s absence.
“Not only did we score goals, but we showcased ruthlessness, mindset, and professionalism throughout the squad,” she stated.
As her head coach noted, after a tense conclusion, the team has certainly earned the right to “take a breath,” adding, “It’s crucial to have a vision and a dream, and we are actively pursuing it.”