Women’s Nations League A: Scotland vs. Germany
Venue: Tannadice Park, Dundee Date: Friday, 4 April Kick-off: 19:35 BST Coverage: Watch on BBC Alba & iPlayer, listen on BBC Radio Scotland Extra & Sounds, live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app
"Scars tell you where you've been, not where you're going."
For 19-year-old Emma Watson, these words are more than just a mantra—they define her journey over the past two years. The young midfielder has already experienced the highs of a dream move to Manchester United and the devastating low of a major injury.
Just a month after leaving Rangers for Old Trafford, Watson suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee during a training session with Scotland. The setback not only ruled her out of a highly anticipated clash with England but also kept her sidelined for an entire year.
Now, after months of perseverance, Watson has regained her rhythm. She made her delayed debut for United late last year before impressing Everton enough to earn a loan move in January. Now, she is back in the Scotland squad, preparing for a double-header against Germany, the world’s third-ranked team, in the Nations League.
A Stronger Player, A Stronger Person
Watson is about to find out whether the adversity has made her a better player, but she is certain it has made her stronger as a person.
"At the time, I was absolutely devastated," she told BBC Scotland. "I thought that was it for me—that my world was ending. But you can quickly change your mindset and reshape your story. I truly believe scars tell you where you've been, not where you're going."
Though it was a significant setback, Watson doesn’t see the injury as lost time. Instead, she used the 12 months in rehabilitation to strengthen both her body and mind.
"It was definitely a blip in my career, but I don't think it was wasted time. I worked hard on my mental resilience, and I came back physically stronger. As tough as it was, I wouldn’t change the experience—it was something I had to overcome."
The scar on her knee serves as a permanent reminder of her battle, but for Watson, it symbolizes triumph rather than trauma.
"Some days I look at it and feel a little sad about what I went through, but mostly, I see it as a warrior wound. It represents all the hard work I put in to get back on the pitch, because nothing was guaranteed."
She credits Manchester United’s support staff and Scotland’s national team psychologists for helping her stay mentally strong throughout the recovery process.
"Having people around me—whether it was the physios, the staff, the players, or the psychologists with Scotland—made a huge difference. I couldn’t have done it without them."
A Childhood Dream Realized
Despite her young age, Watson has already left her mark on the international stage. Before her injury, she scored three goals in her first four appearances for Scotland—an achievement that surprised few, given that she had been playing and scoring for Rangers since she was 15.
But for Watson, the Scotland jersey has always meant more than club football.
"One of my earliest dreams was to play for Scotland," she said. "I never really thought about playing for a specific club—it was always about representing my country."
Growing up in Edinburgh, she idolized Scotland’s top players, traveling across the country to watch stars like Claire Emslie and Caroline Weir.
"I used to sit in the stands and dream, thinking, ‘I hope that’s me one day.’ Seeing those players living the dream made me want to follow in their footsteps."
Watson is now part of the new generation inspiring young girls across Scotland.
"The visibility of top players today is massive for getting young girls into football. Hopefully, we can inspire the next generation, just like I was inspired watching the World Cup in 2019."
Eyes on the Future
Scotland hasn’t qualified for a World Cup since 2019 and will miss out on this year’s Euros. But Watson believes better days are ahead.
Back to full fitness and armed with a renewed sense of determination, she is eager to help Scotland rise again—starting with Friday’s showdown against Germany.
With the resilience she has shown, Watson knows she and her team will need that same fighting spirit when they face one of the world’s best. And this time, she is ready.