Scotland & Arsenal's low-key, high-grade superstar

Kim Little doesn't say much publicly. She doesn't post much on social media. In truth, she doesn't need to.

A career of letting her feet do the talking means there are plenty of team-mates and coaches willing to shout from the rooftops about her greatness.

A TikTok video of her Arsenal team-mates talking about her said it all.

"Greatest midfielder of all time" was mentioned.

"Legend" was thrown in there.

And the word "underrated" came up more than once.

Little will captain Arsenal in Saturday's Champions League final at the age of 34 after a stellar 19-year career, yet rarely takes any headlines.

Even in her native Scotland, her talents have been somewhat under appreciated.

The fact she retired from national duty in 2021, while still playing at the top level, has never been much discussed or scrutinised even as Scotland have stumbled badly in her absence.

But her player-of-the-match display in the Champions League semi-final demolition of Lyon emphasised just what a star she is.

"Kim Little is an unbelievable footballer who goes under the radar all the time," her team-mate and England captain Leah Williamson said after the 4-1 away win against eight-time champions Lyon.

"Unfortunately, the international stage didn't provide her with any of these incredible opportunities but she's a player worthy of seven or eight Champions League titles."

So what makes Little so special in the eyes of team-mates?

The display against Lyon epitomised her all-around strength as a midfielder.

She found space to get Arsenal moving, while getting stuck in and arriving into the box to get in positions to score.

Former England striker Ellen White played with Little during her first spell at Arsenal - as well as with Great Britain at the Olympics - and came up against her in the Women's Super League too.

"I don't want to throw this word around a lot with players, but she is an absolute legend," White said on BBC 5 Live's Women's Football Weekly podcast.

"She is the GOAT. She is unbelievable. Her technical ability, her football intelligence. Her feet are like Velcro, the ball just sticks to her. But then her timing of runs into the box as well.

"She's a phenomenal leader. She doesn't scream. She doesn't shout. She lets her football do the talking. It's her presence."

Jen Beattie was a team-mate at Arsenal and Scotland and also believes Little's quiet leadership and attitude help to make her so good.

"She leads by example - she doesn't overly talk negative, but she's solution-focused," said Beattie.

"She's the kind of person that you look to during the match and be like, how do we solve this? What do you think of that? And she'd always be so calm and collected."

The professionalism that anyone who knows Little speaks of has helped her have incredible longevity at the top level.

She signed for Arsenal in 2008 and made her Scotland debut at 16, winning titles and PFA players' player of the year award in 2013.

During successful spells in the United States and Australia in between her stints at Arsenal, she played with some of the world's best.

US goalkeeper Hope Solo called her "the most talented player I have ever played" with in 2016.

Nine years on, she is still doing it, and is heading towards 400 Arsenal appearances, having signed a new deal to the end of next season.

"The game has obviously changed dramatically over the time I've been playing," Little told BBC Scotland's Behind the Goals podcast.

"The training has increased, the speed and level have been increased, and I've always been very aware of the physical requirements I need to stay at the highest level."

Listen to Kim Little on the Behind the Goals podcast

21/05/25

But it has not just been about maintaining her physical condition. Little has adapted her game through her career.

Early on, she was a goal-scoring number 10 and regularly hit double figures in a season. Only five players have scored more than Little in Women's Champions League history.

But throughout her time with Scotland, when they often played without the ball, she took on more responsibility in defence and for starting attacks.

In the twilight of her club career she has taken on a similar role, while never losing the knack of timing great runs into the box, as demonstrated by her goal in the 4-3 win over Manchester United on the final day of the Women's Super League season.

This season, doubt was creeping in for some about her ability to operate in the heart of Arsenal's midfield, particularly given her age, their strong squad and some lingering injury issues.

"It was frustrating when people were questioning when she had some few niggles and was getting back fit but her position is built for her," White said.

"And she just bosses that midfield with her intelligence, her footballing ability, her presence, her talent, her leadership qualities as well."

When Little surprisingly announced her international retirement in 2021 after earning 140 caps and scoring 59 goals, she said it was something she had been thinking about "for a while".

Having finally got to play at a World Cup in 2019 - she missed Euro 2017 through injury - it is perhaps understandable she felt she had scaled the mountain with the national side.

Prolonging her club career must have been a factor and leaving also opened up more time in the calendar for other things - and Little has now gone through some of her coaching badges.

However, there was sometimes a suggestion quitting was partly down to some dissatisfaction with the Scottish FA's perceived lack of focus on the women's side.

Whether that is the case or not, Little has been a big miss on the pitch.

It is hard to imagine her ability, leadership and big game experience would not have made a difference in play-off defeats by Republic of Ireland and Finland - sides Scotland were at least level with in terms of squad quality.

The fact the country's best player has been absent has not been as closely scrutinised as might have been expected, especially given the recent lack of success.

And though a return at 34 seems unlikely, new head coach Melissa Andreatta did say she would like to "connect with" Little.

Now, though, Little's focus is purely on trying to get the better of a formidable Barcelona side in Saturday's Champions League final.

The Catalan club have won three of the past four editions of the tournament, and boast Spanish World Cup winners and superstars Aitana Bonmati, Patri Guijarro and Alexia Putellas.

It is the ultimate test in women's football as a midfielder to take them on - and Little and Arsenal will need their best performance.

She joined the club the season after they last won the competition in 2007, and 17 years on will get the chance to go for the title herself.

"I think everyone saw how emotional she was [after the semi-final]," Beattie said.

"She's worked so hard her entire career. [She is] 35 this summer and still she's not past her prime.

"She will be in her prime until she retires - whenever she chooses to do that. It is a credit to her. She fully deserves it."