Scotland Women will make history this year when they take to the field at their first-ever World Cup.

Shelley Kerr guided the Scots all the way to qualification for the tournament in France, with a dramatic win over Albania finally sealing their spot.

The reward is a World Cup finals debut, where an opener in Nice against rivals England, no less, lies in wait in what is set to be one of the games of the tournament.

The two old foes also met as Scotland made their European Championship bow two years ago, a match which ended with the Lionesses romping to a 6-0 group stage win and the Scots eventually falling at the first hurdle.

That result still lingers in the mind but under Kerr's watch Scotland are a much-improved side, one that will likely lay down a more formidable challenge to Phil Neville's much-fancied outfit.

Kerr has pieced together a side which has already displayed the ability and mentality to compete against the best, with a recent close encounter against the reigning world champions, the USA, proving a case in point.

Arsenal star Kim Little, for instance, is no stranger to mixing it with the best, having previously scooped up Footballer of the Year awards for her impressive displays for the Gunners.

But Little and co will need to show tournament nous on their first run-out to navigate their way out of a tough group also containing Argentina and the last finals' runners-up, Japan.

Regardless of how Kerr's charges get on in France, though, 2019 is set to be a pivotal year for the women's game as the sport continues to grow.

In a "game-changing" move, Celtic are the latest team to be going full-time, while Hearts are to invest a six-figure sum in their women's team.