A ROSYTH football starlet who won her first cap last month has been selected to represent her country in a UEFA Qualifying Round.

Summer Laird, a sixth year pupil at Inverkeithing High School, is part of the Scotland under-17 squad that have been contesting three qualifying matches over eight days in Portugal.

The 16-year-old, who began her footballing journey with Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts before making a move to join Rangers three years ago, is one of 20 players picked by head coach, Pauline MacDonald, for matches with Portugal, Sweden and the Netherlands.

The Scots take on Sweden in their final match this afternoon, having lost to the Dutch and Portugal 4-1 and 2-1 respectively, with the West Fifer starting the first, and coming on as a substitute in the second.

Talented defender Summer, who can operate as either a right or left-sided centre back, made her international debut last month in the first of a friendly double-header in Hungary.

She played 65 minutes of a 5-3 win for Scotland in Budapest, before going on to feature as a substitute in the second match three days later, which the young Scots won 6-4.

Speaking to Press Sport, Summer's proud dad, Jordan, explained: "I'm buzzing for her.

"She was invited to Scotland camps last year, with the under-16s in November. They were going to play Ireland, but then Covid hit, and the games were never played.

"She's been with the under-17 squad this year and got her first caps against Hungary. She started the first game, then came on as a sub in the second game, so she got some good game time.

"She's absolutely buzzing. I think she just takes it in her stride, despite her age. She's a determined lassie."

Jordan, who himself played football at junior level, and is a coach with the Swifts, revealed Summer began playing when she was seven, quickly developed a "bug for football", that has also seen her participate in futsal and Box Soccer.

She now combines her school studies with travelling to train with her club, at their training base in East Dunbartonshire, through the week before games at the weekend with their under-18 squad, having won a league and League Cup double with their under-16s last year.

"You can see it improving, the girls' game," Jordan said.

"The training at Rangers mirrors the boys; they get treated the same, which is a real positive.

"In the summer, she sacrificed going to TRNSMT (festival) as she got a message from the under-18s coach that she could go and train with the first team. In their second or third pre-season game, they took eight academy girls, and they got 25 minutes against Hearts. It was amazing for her.

"We thought she might not get game time, but they gave them 25 minutes. It was 2-0 when she came on, and she played alongside your Lizzie Arnot's, your Nic Doc's (Nicola Docherty). It finished 2-0, and they didn't look out of place. It was brilliant to watch.

"She's going in the right direction, but she's got a long way to go."

Summer, who can play as a right or left-sided centre back that is comfortable and composed on the ball, is the latest in a long list of talented West Fife female footballers to represent their country.

In addition to the likes of senior Scotland stars Caroline Weir and Lucy Graham, Spartans trio Robyn McCafferty, Caley Gibb and Alicia Yates have all played for age group sides, as have players such as Celtic's Tegan Bowie, Glasgow City's Niamh Noble, and Olivia Potter, who is on loan to Hamilton Academical from Celtic.

"West Fife has got a lot of up-and-coming talent, and that's down to people like Caroline Weir," Jordan added.

"When they her signing for a club like Real Madrid, it inspires them to go and better themselves.

"There are plenty of players coming through and it's great to see."