Euro 2017 by numbers

4 – There are four ~survivors of England’s 2005 European Championship squad in this year’s 23-woman Lionesses party: Alex Scott, Fara Williams, Karen Carney and Casey Stoney. age-group, the 22-year-old’s first club side was Hibernian Ladies.

Last season Liverpool fans voted for Caroline as player of the season.

The number 10 also collected the goal of the season prize for a trade-mark stunning strike against Doncaster Rovers Belles.

Dunfermline fan Caroline was voted as Scotland’s player of the year earlier this year and featured in every match in the successful Euro 2017 qualifying campaign.

As she prepared for Scotland women’s ever first major finals, head coach Signeul said: “This is an incredibly exciting time.

“It’s a strong squad with a great mix of youth and experience. All the players have worked incredibly hard to reach this stage and deserve to play at the Euros.

“This year we have had the benefit of playing nine games which has helped build a unity within the group and the players are all focused on that first game against England.

“The recent injury to Jenny Beattie is a blow and while all the players are gutted that she, Lizzie Arnot and Kim Little are out, it will add to our determination to do well for them as well as the entire country.”

The tournament itself begins tomorrow when hosts Netherlands take on Norway, with the final being played on August 6.

This year’s competition features an expanded 16-team format, with more countries involved than ever before. Twelve teams contested the 2009 and 2013 editions.

Two teams progress to the quarterfinals from each first-round group, which line up as follows:

Group A: Holland (hosts), Norway, Denmark, Belgium; Group B: Germany (holders), Sweden, Italy, Russia; Group C: France, Iceland, Austria, Switzerland; Group D: England, Scotland, Spain, Portugal

The matches take place at seven stadiums in seven cities – Tilburg (Koning Willem II stadion), Breda (Rat Verlegh stadion), Utrecht (De Galgenwaard), Rotterdam (Sparta stadion), Deventer (De Adelaarshorst), Doetinchem (De Vijverberg), Enschede (FC Twente stadion).

Along with Scotland, four other countries are making their debut at this major finals – Belgium, Austria, Portugal and Switzerland.

The 2013 finals in Sweden offered total prize-money of 2.2 million euros (£1.95m) but that rises sharply to eight million euros (£7m) for this tournament.

Uefa announced the champions will collect 1.2m euros (£1.05m), with rewards sliding to 300,000 euros (£265,000) for teams eliminated in the group stage.

And for fans of the ever-growing women’s game in Scotland, there’s the great news that Channel 4 bought up the TV rights last autumn and will be showing matches involving England and Scotland, beginning with the Battle of Britain in Utrecht on Wednesday (kickoff 7.45pm).