Olympics 2020 football – Team GB's Caroline Weir interview: "Andy Murray is at the end of the phone now. At first, I was just trying to play it cool"

This exclusive interview with Caroline Weir first appeared in the July 2021 issue of FourFourTwo. Subscribe now!

Are you excited about representing Great Britain this summer?
It's a big honour, but not something I thought I’d ever do. I didn’t associate football with the Olympics – I dreamt of playing at World Cups and European Championships for Scotland, which I’ve been fortunate enough to do. But getting to represent Team GB is such a unique opportunity, and one I’m proud to be part of. 

You’ve played at one major tournament before, at the 2019 World Cup. How is this going to compare and be different?
Already it’s feeling pretty different, with the preparations. It’s going into a different team with different players. Obviously I know most of the girls, but Team GB is so special. At the World Cup, football is the biggest thing, but the Olympics feels so much bigger than that. It’s a celebration of many sports, so we must keep that in mind, but from a football point of view it’s going to be very exciting. It’s just different. I don’t think you can compare them. 

Do you have any standout memories from watching the Olympics?
I have a few. I loved coming back from school and putting on the TV to watch swimming, athletics, diving – some of the more random sports you might not normally go for. But you just support Great Britain and hope they do well. In terms of the standout memories, I’d say Chris Hoy winning all his medals in 2012, then Andy Murray getting gold so soon after losing the Wimbledon final. 

Does it mean something extra special to be one of only two Scots selected, alongside Arsenal’s Kim Little?
Definitely. I knew it was going to be a really competitive squad to get into, but I’m happy and proud to be there. I’ve played with Kim for years, and watched her in 2012 thinking how amazing it was that a Scot was in the team and doing so well. When I was a teenager, she was the Scottish player who everyone looked up to. She’s had a great career from a young age – I didn’t realise until recently that she was only 22 in 2012. I was like, ‘Wow, that’s so young…’ Kim has been a role model for girls in Scotland and players coming through, so I’m thrilled to be there with her. 

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You’ll have heard many of the girls talking about 2012. Does it disappoint you knowing this won’t quite be the same?
Honestly, we just feel fortunate that it’s still going ahead. With the postponement last year and everything that’s happened in 2021, I think we have to feel lucky that it’s actually starting. I’ve spoken to the girls about 2012 and they talk of it as a career highlight, but it was also London – could anything compare to that anyway? From my own point of view, it’s a huge thing to be selected. 

How does it feel to see a mural of yourself daubed on an Indian takeaway back home in Dunfermline?
It’s so funny. I was home a few weeks ago, and you have to drive right past it to get to my parents’ house. It does make me laugh, and it’s still looking good, you know! There’s no graffiti on it, which is nice... 

Your agency is led by Andy Murray, who’s become a mentor for you. What’s he like?
He’s as you would imagine – very humble. We had some conversations about the women’s game and female coaches, and we had quite a few things in common. I was a huge Andy Murray fan before, so I was just trying to play it cool! But if I’ve ever got any questions for him about performance, he’s at the end of the phone. I’m very passionate about gender equality too, and he’s been brilliant on some appearances we’ve done together. I’ve asked him how he answers a certain question and gets his point across, as it can sometimes be difficult trying to formulate what you want to say on that subject.  

On that note, you’re a supporter of both Common Goal and Girls United...
I love the concept of everyone giving a small amount towards something bigger. You can pick what you want to impact with Common Goal, while Girls United are bang on what I’m passionate about: empowering women and girls to develop skills that can breed success, in football or elsewhere.  

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