Kirsty Maclean (born 12 April 2005) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Liverpool and the Scotland national team.
Club career Rangers A pupil at Barrhead High School, where she achieved five Highers in 2022, Maclean progressed through the girls' academy at Rangers (although she is a supporter of St MirrenGirls International Squad 2019, Scottish Schools' Football Association. "She plays for the Glasgow Rangers U19 team and is a St Mirren supporter. Kirsty has been likened to her favourite player, ex-SSFA and full Internationalist Erin Cuthbert" where the women's section of the club play at a low level having only been established in 2018). She made her senior debut during the 2021–22 Scottish Women's Premier League season aged 16, making a handful of appearances as Rangers won their first championship. Along with teammates Jodi McLeary and Emma Watson, she signed a professional contract in August 2022.
After establishing herself as a regular in the squad during the 2022–23 season, in which she also made four appearances (three starts) in the UEFA Women's Champions League, was introduced as a late substitute in Rangers' win over Hibernian in the SWPL Cup final and was nominated for the PFA Scotland Women's Young Player of the Year, Maclean signed an extended contract in May 2023. The campaign ended in disappointment on a collective level, however, as Rangers lost their title with a home defeat to Glasgow City on the final matchday, then were defeated by their other local rivals Celtic in the 2023 Scottish Cup Final (the first Old Firm women's final and the first played at Hampden Park) a week later.Celtic retain Scottish Women’s Cup at Hampden with victory over Rangers, The Guardian, 28 May 2023
Rangers won the 2023–24 Scottish Women's Premier League Cup and the 2023–24 Scottish Women's Cup (Maclean missed the first final due to injury and started in the second) although they missed out on the SWPL championship again, this time on goal difference. Maclean was nominated for both the PFA Scotland Women's Players' Player of the Year and Young Player of the YearPFA Scotland Player of the Year award: Jack Butland, Matt O'Riley, Lawrence Shankland & James Tavernier shortlisted, Alison Conroy, Sky Sports, 6 May 2024 but lost out on both awards to clubmates Rachel Rowe and Mia McAulay respectively; however, she was named in the Team of the Year.Rangers most featured in SWPL team of the year, BBC Sport, 21 April 2024
Rangers again narrowly missed out on the SWPL title in 2024–25, losing out to Hibernian on the last matchday which handed the championship to the Edinburgh side and also allowed Glasgow City to claim the runners-up spot and Champions League place;Rangers 0-1 Hibernian, Jane Lewis, BBC Sport, 18 May 2025 they had to be content with retaining both knockout trophies with comfortable wins against those same rivals (5–0 against Hibs in the SWPL Cup and 3–0 over City in the Scottish Cup), Maclean starting both matches.Report: Hibernian 0-5 Rangers, Craig Vickers, Rangers FC, 22 March 2025Rangers Women crowned Scottish Cup champions as Mia McAulay and Kirsty Howat the Hampden goal heroes, Andy mackay, Daily Record, 25 May 2025 Individually she was again named in the SWPL Team of the Year.PFA Scotland SWPL Team of the Year 2024/25, PFA Scotland, 21 April 2025
Liverpool On 14 July 2025, it was announced that Maclean had signed for Women's Super League club Liverpool.
Playing style As a midfielder with a low centre of gravity, good ball control and passing skills, her style of play has been compared to that of Andres Iniesta and Erin Cuthbert.
International career Maclean has represented Scotland at under-15, under-16, under-17 and under-19 levels, as well as a schoolgirl international for three consecutive years.
She was called up to the Scotland senior team for the first time for a friendly double-header against Northern Ireland and Finland in July 2023; she made her senior international debut as a substitute in a 3–0 win over Northern Ireland at Dens Park in Dundee.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinental TotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsRangers2021–22SWPL800000—802022–23SWPL2721010403322023–24SWPL2041031—2452024–25SWPL2123020—262Total768506040919Liverpool2025–26Women's Super League1603040—2302026–27Women's Super League200000—20Total180304000250Career total94880100401169
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsScotland202360202410202570202610Total150
Honours Rangers Scottish Women's Premier League: 2021–22 Women's Scottish Cup: 2023–24, 2024–25 Scottish Women's Premier League Cup: 2022–23,Report: Rangers 2-0 Hibernian - The Gers Lift The Sky Sports Cup, Rangers FC, 11 December 2022 2024–25Report: Hibernian 0-5 Rangers, Craig Vickers, Rangers FC, 22 March 2025
See also List of Scotland women's international footballers
References