England V Scotland: Kirsty Gallacher’s Pre-Match Brief Sheet For This Sunday’s World Cup Kick Off

This Sunday, the Women’s World Cup kicks off for England with their first match against Scotland. Playing in front of a sold-out crowd in Nice’s Allainz Riviera stadium, the match is set to reignite the long-standing football rivalry between the two great countries.

I was brought up in England, but my family is Scottish, so for me this game is the best possible kick off to a hugely exciting season of women’s football. I’ll be personally invested in both sides, and it will be a win-win either way. In fact, the entire World Cup feels like that. The huge amount of media interest, the excitement building around this competition, it’s an amazing time for women’s football and this kick-off game for England and Scotland will be a historic moment.

With so much buzz around this first game, it’s impossible not to feel the electric energy and want to get involved. So, whether you’re an avid football fan or you’ve never watched a match before, I’ve put together a pre-match cheat sheet with the key notes you’ll need to show off your football knowledge for the England vs Scotland match – don’t forget, kick off’s at 5pm on Sunday, airing on BBC.

Players to watch

For Scotland:

Kim Little is fantastic midfielder, the leading scorer for Scotland and described as the complete player by many. She’s got 12 years of experience on the national team and has been well-recognised as a world-class player.

For a new player to watch, Erin Cuthbert is a brilliant 20-year old Chelsea forward. She scored an amazing goal in the Champion’s League and is definitely one to look out for.

For England:

I’m always a fan of Lucy Bronze, she’ll have to work hard against players like Cuthbert but her abilities as a defender are celebrated across the world.

Nikita Parris is such an exciting new player for England, she had a great season with Manchester City and is one of my absolute favourites. She’s one player David Beckham that was very excited to hear made the England squad, everyone is talking about her.

What to expect

You’ll definitely see sparks of talent coming through from all the women, but especially from youngsters Erin Cuthbert and Nikita Parris, those strikers looking for goals. Lucy Bronze will be working very hard, so we’ll see some great defending across the match. It will be a good, fun and passionate game with plenty at stake for both sides.

Score prediction

I think England will just edge it at 2-1. There will be goals, that’s for sure.

Do say

“England will be more comfortable playing in France than you think”

I think there’s a misconception that England will be uncomfortable playing in France because of our countries rivalries. But, if you want to look super knowledgeable to your mates, it’s worth noting that for a lot of the England players France is there home ground. Lucy Bronze and Izzy Christiansen both play for Olympic Lyonnais, and Lucy has stated herself that the French love the English players. If they win in France, they’re winning at home really.

Don’t say

“This game is an easy win for England”

They might have been dubbed the underdogs because of their debutant status, but Scotland are not to be taken lightly at all. They’re a very talented team and much better prepared under head coach Shelley Kerr. When they’re injury free, they’re a force to be reckoned with

Click through to see the national kits ahead of the Women's World Cup...