What would the 10-year-old Caroline Weir think of a Ballon d’Or nomination? “I don't know if she'd believe it, she'd be so excited,” said the 30-year-old Caroline Weir as she prepares for Paris and football’s Oscars tonight.
“It genuinely was a dream of mine. When I was younger I remember writing a list of things I wanted to achieve by a certain age. I don't have the actual physical list anymore but I can still remember a couple things on it and the Ballon d'Or was on that list – and that was back at a time when there were no women’s players nominated.
“I remember watching it and seeing the players that won because it always just seemed so iconic.”
Weir has ticked most of the dreams off in a career that has seen her be part of the first Scottish national sides to qualify for the Euros and the World Cup while she has shone domestically both at home and abroad.
When she made the switch to Real Madrid she said at the time that part of the reasoning was that she had ambitions of being the very best in the world.
Still, when she picked up her phone on a random afternoon for a quick scroll through social media she was met with the surprise news of her nomination.
“I go through phases of being on Instagram, off Instagram and just randomly popping on,” said the Scotland and Real Madrid midfielder.
“I randomly went on it to see if I had any messages from any friends or anything and that's when it was like one of the first things that came up. The news was actually on Instagram and I think that's how everyone found out about it because that's where it was released.
“To be honest, I wasn't sure actually if it was like legit at first because I was very surprised. It’s a huge honour and looking at the season I hadn’t, unfortunately, been at the Euros. And I always think when there's a major tournament, that's kind of what a lot of things are based off of.
“I was very surprised to be included and just a bit shocked. I told my husband, Josh and we were just buzzing. I didn't quite know what that meant in terms of being able to go because the schedules and stuff doesn't always align but it is all good and we are so excited to be in Paris tomorrow night.”
There will be another Scot, too, with Scott McTominay up in the male category. He is the first Scottish player since Ally McCoist to be recognised with Weir is the first every female Scottish players to be find herself on football’s A list.
Given the timing if the award as it comes on the back of an acute ACL injury, Weir’s success is all the more remarkable. She laughs off the idea of winning the award, jokes that she is as eager to take in the fashion on the floor and the architecture of Paris as she attends tomorrow’s glitzy ceremony but there is also an appreciation that she has been able to embrace a stage that was closed to women for so long.
One can only imagine what the likes of Elsie Cook and Rose Reilly make of a Scottish female player shortlisted among the cream of Europe.
“My generation were one of the first to be involved in the game in a way that has grown so much,” she said. “It's just luck. Even if I had been five or ten years older, it could have been different.
“I do feel really lucky because we do have the platform.
“I've always said that I think my career has been right place right time. Yes I've worked hard but for sure I've been fortunate enough to be in the right generation where the game's gone crazy and to be part of that is such an honour and something I definitely don't take for granted."
