A Scottish footballer has just begun a fourth season in Serie A and is preparing to face Chelsea in the last-16 of the Champions League. The same player has already been the top scorer in a Serie A season and last Saturday she set up the winning goal for Fiorentina as they beat Juventus in the Italian Super Cup final, but – despite her story being the stuff of dreams – Lana Clelland’s achievements are not yet widely known at home.

Clelland moved to southern Italy in 2014 to sign for Bari. She had previously played for Rangers and Spartans in Scotland but, when told about Bari’s interest, she couldn’t turn down the opportunity. “I was intrigued by the idea of it,” she says. “I’d never heard anything about women’s football in Italy but I was at a place in my career where I needed to be playing games, so I took the jump. At first it was only supposed to be a five-month move for an experience but I enjoyed it that much I had to stay!”

She was taken by the place in her very first training session. “It was late December and I was running around in shorts and a T-shirt while the girls were wrapped up in jackets as it was ‘winter!’ On the football front, the first thing I realised was how technically great all the girls were with a ball at their feet.”

She had to adapt to more than the weather and a new style of play. To perform at the highest level, she had to learn to speak to her new teammates in Italian. “It was hard at first,” she says. “I never knew a word of Italian and no one spoke English, but the people were so nice and helpful at every opportunity so they got me through until I started to understand and speak the language.”

Five months after signing for Bari, the Scotland striker moved to UPC Tavagnacco, a Serie A club from the Province of Udine, in the north east of Italy. In her second season with the club, she was top scorer in Serie A, ending the campaign with three successive hat-tricks to finish the campaign with 23 goals from 22 matches.

Despite spending a large portion of last season injured, she was signed by Fiorentina this summer. “I had been waiting for the right moment to move and was delighted when they came back in for me at the end of the season. I knew in my head there was only one team I was going to.” The move has given Clelland the chance to test herself against the finest players in the world. “Playing in the Champions League is something I’ve always wanted to do, so it’s amazing to finally get the chance.”

Clelland has taken her chance with open arms. Her brace against Fortuna Hjorring last month helped Fiorentina set up a last-16 tie against Chelsea. La Viola go into the first leg in London this week on a high, having beaten reigning Serie A champions Juventus in the Italian Super Cup final on Saturday. Clelland was instrumental in that victory too, picking out teammate Ilaria Mauro with a clever pass to set up the only goal of the game. Winning her first major trophy in football was an emotional moment. “I came to this club to grow as a player and we have worked so hard over the last few months, so to lift the first trophy of the season was amazing.”

Lana Clelland in action for Scotland against Portugal last year. Photograph: Maja Hitij/Getty Images

Of course, Clelland isn’t the first Scottish woman to make a big impression in Italian football. Four decades have passed since Rose Reilly arrived in Italy to begin an incredible, trophy-laden, career that reached its zenith when she lifted the World Cup with her adopted nation.

“When I heard about Rose’s story I was amazed,” says Clelland. “Honestly, I didn’t know anything about her until I went to Bari. The journalist there who interviewed me, his father had interviewed Rose Reilly and there’s a photo of them and he was the baby in his dad’s arms while he was speaking to Rose. From there I wanted to know more, as it’s not often a Scottish person goes to play in Italy. Ever since then, comparisons have been made as there’s only been four foreigners who have won the Golden Boot – two Danes and two Scots – and I’m one of them, so I’m absolutely proud. Rose’s story is one everyone should know. I feel proud to be following in her footsteps.”

Unlike Reilly, who had to become an Italian citizen to compete at international level, Clelland will have the chance to represent the country of her birth at the World Cup. In a thrilling conclusion to their qualifying campaign, Clelland and her Scotland teammates beat Albania 2-1 in their final group match to secure a place at France 2019 – the first time the Scotland women’s team has qualified for the event. “It’s a dream come true,” says Clelland. “The hard work put in over the last year has shown in these performances and we just can’t wait to get to France and hopefully inspire the nation.”

Clelland believes her game has improved immeasurably in Italy and that more Scottish players should move abroad. “You would become an all-round better player and person, adding aspects to your game that you might not get in Scotland, but also there’s the experience of living another culture and getting to know amazing people from around the world. It’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world. I love the people, the food and the lifestyle in general is very relaxed.” The past few years have been something of a whirlwind and she’s not ready for it to stop any time soon.

• This article first appeared on The Gentleman Ultra

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