Arsenal’s Women’s Super League winner Emma Mitchell has missed out on a place in Shelley Kerr’s 23-woman Scotland squad for their first ever World Cup this summer.

Mitchell has struggled with injury this season but returned to the Arsenal bench in recent weeks and scored a stunning left-footed strike to end Manchester City’s unbeaten campaign on Saturday, the final day of the domestic season. Mitchell missed Euro 2017 through injury along with teammate Kim Little, Manchester United’s Lizzie Arnot and Manchester City’s Jen Beattie, who all make the plane this time round. Glasgow City’s Nicola Docherty, who stepped up in Mitchell’s absence is included in the squad after a SWPL title-winning season.

Meanwhile Durham’s Zoe Ness, who has been on the fringes of Kerr’s 23, has also missed out on a place. She is the one change to the 23 chosen for the team’s recent 1-1 draw with Chile and the historic 1-0 defeat of Brazil. Fiorentina’s Lana Clelland, who has 24 caps, has taken her place.

The competition has come too soon for recently capped 20-year-old Sam Kerr, Anderlecht’s Abbi Grant and Bristol City’s duo Lucy Graham and Abi Harrison. The team will be led by long-time captain, Rachel Corsie, 29, who plays for the former Arsenal manager Laura Harvey’s Utah Royals in the United States.

Littered with champions, the team include two of Arsenal’s WSL title winners, three FA Cup and League Cup winners with Manchester City, two of Manchester United’s Championship winners, five Glasgow City SWPL winners and two Hibernian Scottish Cup winners.

What a way to finish the season!



Emma Mitchell with an absolute screamer on her return from injury! 👊 pic.twitter.com/5LfoKIvlmr — Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 11, 2019

Kerr has urged her side to embrace the challenge awaiting them in France. She said: “It’s our first time at the World Cup but the target has already been set. We want to get out the group stages.

“The most important thing though is that we embrace the occasion and have an enjoyable tournament. But it’s more enjoyable if we win games and I have every confidence in this group of players that they can get us out of the group stages.

“It was so tough choosing the squad. Throughout the campaign and the last year and a half we’ve used over 35 players, so to narrow it down to 23 was really tough with some really tough decisions. But, you know, it’s all about the 23 that have been selected for the first time the Scottish women’s national team will go to a World Cup.”

This is Scotland’s first World Cup and their second time at a major international tournament after the 2017 European Championship finals. The Scots have again been handed a tricky tournament opener against England in Group D on 9 June. With an injury hit squad they fell to a 6-0 defeat against their old foes in 2017, but only missed out on the knockout stages to Spain because of an inferior head-to-head record.

Kerr took charge after that campaign and led them to seven wins in eight to reach France at the top of qualifying Group 2. Only the winners qualified automatically for the World Cup and Scotland secured their place on the last day of the qualifying campaign.

Goalkeepers Lee Alexander (Glasgow City), Jenna Fife (Hibernian), Shannon Lynn (Vittsjö)

Defenders Chloe Arthur (Birmingham), Jen Beattie (Manchester City), Rachel Corsie (Utah Royals), Nicola Docherty (Glasgow City), Sophie Howard (Reading), Hayley Lauder (Glasgow City), Joelle Murray (Hibernian), Kirsty Smith (Manchester United)

Midfielders Lizzie Arnot (Manchester United), Leanne Crichton (Glasgow City), Kim Little (Arsenal), Jo Love (Glasgow City), Christie Murray (Liverpool), Caroline Weir (Manchester City)

Forwards Fiona Brown (Rosengård), Lana Clelland (Fiorentina), Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea), Claire Emslie (Manchester City), Lisa Evans (Arsenal), Jane Ross (West Ham)