'I didn't know if I'd run again' - Corsie's tears & injury torment

Scotland captain Rachel Corsie feared she wouldn't be able to run again let alone play football as she struggled to fight back from long-term injury.

The 35-year-old Aston Villa defender had knee surgery in October that was expected to keep her out for eight weeks.

But her comeback attempts were halted by calf and hip problems before the Villa skipper finally made her first appearance of the season as a late substitute in last week's win over Arsenal.

Speaking on the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast, Corsie said: "It wasn't that many weeks ago where I genuinely was having conversations with a physio and I remember, I've not cried that many times, but I did cry one day in the physio room.

"We got to the point where I was like, I don't know if I'd ever run again. It wasn't even about will I play football again, I was just like I'd like to be able to go for a jog.

"We reshuffled the rehab plan, the goal is you're trying to return to your sport, so it's very much like how can you play football again.

"We had to switch that to be like I just don't think I can run, running is the thing that causes me the most pain.

"That's how broken my body did feel at one point. Playing again at that moment in time, that's not even something I'm going to put focus to, I just would like to be able to do this.

"Then you chip away and you build yourself back up. Because of all those ups and downs, finishing training on Tuesday before the Arsenal game last week, that was the moment where I felt the greatest relief.

"That was the biggest celebration for me because I'd got through that session which meant I could be in the matchday squad."

Corsie insists chasing a return to Scotland duty was the "biggest factor" in her recovery and she wants to continue her international career under newly-appointed head coach Melissa Andreatta.

"I've just wanted to put myself in a position where I could say I was fit and available, it's so disappointing to have had to miss the last four camps," added Corsie.

"It's really nice to say I am now in a place where I can say that I'm fit.

"Playing for Scotland is the absolute best thing, and it's been the biggest factor in me wanting to strive to actually get back to this point."