On the cusp of playing in the Sky Sports Cup final at Fir Park with Glasgow City, midfielder Natalia Wróbel reflected on a journey that brought her to Scotland.
The 22-year-old – who will be hoping to compete in her second final since moving to Scotland, having been part of last season’s team that reached the Scottish Cup final at Hampden – knows how far she has come.
“When I was young, I remember thinking: ‘I wish I was there’ and now I feel like I am," Nat recalls of watching those playing in big matches on her television. Experiences that once seemed world's away are now her reality.
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But before playing in major domestic cup finals, there was the Nat who was playing boys’ football back home in Poland until the age of around 14.
At around that age, she then that she stepped into the women’s senior game with her local club in Krakow before earning a move to Danish side Brøndby in 2022.
Her performances in Scandinavia caught the eye of those in Scotland, and she would become a City player in the summer of 2024, making 58 appearances and scoring 20 goals to date.
Lifting silverware with Glasgow City would mean something different to the Polish international. Not only would it be the first major honour of her career, but a reminder that all the sacrifices she has made to get to this point have been worth it.
“It would be something special,” Natalia says.
“It would be paying back all the hard work you put in throughout the season, but also since I was a little girl. When I was young, I dreamt about lifting a trophy.
“To be here in Glasgow now playing on the biggest stage in this big game this weekend, it really does mean a lot to me.
“It was a big step for me to move abroad and leave my comfort zone at home and all my family, but I wanted to go and challenge myself and become the best version of myself.
“What I like to do is challenge myself in a different environment because that is what is going to help me develop as a player and as a person.
“For all the experiences I had in Denmark for two years and now in Scotland, I feel like I’m a better player and I am growing as a person.
“I’m always happy when we are playing on this stage in the big games and my family are able to watch, whether that is in the stadium or at home in Poland. I know they are supporting me and are proud of what I have achieved.
“As a small girl starting to play football, I was watching these big games and big moments on the TV and it probably wasn’t even women’s football, it was the men’s game.
"Now, I am part of it and other girls watching on their TV can be, too. This is what I love to do. This is what makes me happy.”
For a player who is flashy in style on the pitch, there is also a humble nature to be found with Nat. She appreciates where she has come from to where she is now, yet there are elements of her game that remain the same.
Growing up playing with the boys, whilst they accepted her, she felt like she had to prove herself. But such an experience helped her become the player she is. The player we’re now so familiar with watching at Petershill Park.
“I started playing with the boys,” she explains. “I was around eight years old, and I was the only girl.
“The boys didn’t treat me differently. I was just another player in the team, and we all treated each other the same as teammates.
“I felt like it was quite hard because I felt like I had to prove myself, but as time went everyone in the team knew I had the quality. I could beat them in one-v-ones or tackle them. They could see I was fighting for it.
“I still have that same energy and the same love for playing as I did back then.
“Sometimes I do crazy stuff and like to freestyle because you need to show yourself, and I think I am the best version of myself when I’m showing what I've got – that's just me and my style.
“I’m not a simple player. I’m not scared to do different stuff. I think I can offer something special because I like using my skills, and that’s what I learned to do as a child.
“All the time I was playing with the boys, I was playing one-v-ones with them, and I was using different skills and special tricks to try and get beyond them. That’s still my game. I love to do this.”
That fearless style could be key this weekend, as Nat will no doubt be hoping to put those skills to good use on Sunday at Fir Park if she is to line up against Rangers.
She hopes those qualities can contribute to a trophy that can be a springboard not just for her, but for the rest of the team who remain in the hunt for the other two domestic trophies this season.
“It gives you the extra energy to push even more,” the midfielder tells us.
“You have achieved something – and you’re so happy about it and it makes you want to experience the next thing. It’s pushing you forward.
“You want to go and be an even better version of yourself – to achieve more. You don’t want to stop just because you’ve won one trophy.
“I’m hungry for that, and this is why I love playing football. I will push until the moment comes when I believe I have achieved everything that I can.”
And while silverware remains the immediate focus, the midfielder is also grateful for what football has already given her and for what she hopes lies ahead.
“All the memories that football brings me,” Nat replies without hesitation when we ask what success also looks like for her.
“All my experiences from different countries, different cultures, meeting different people along the way, and getting the opportunity to play in big matches. Those are the things I will appreciate the most.
“What I will remember the most is the relationships I’ve been able to make with my teammates, the coaches, and staff.
“It’s already good to look back and see how many people you met on the way, how many memories you’ve have made and, hopefully, we will be able to look back on winning trophies together.”