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Before she left Arsenal at the end of the 2013 season, Kim Little was voted by her fellow colleagues as the Professional Footballers' Association Women's Player of the Year winner. The test was whether she could transfer that form to the United States.

After her first season with Seattle Reign, the Scot more than answered those questions.

Having been voted the National Women's Soccer League's Most Valuable Player, Little's reputation now transcends the Atlantic.

"Playing football is probably the best job I could possibly have dreamed of," says the 5ft 4in midfielder.

Little wonder when the 24-year-old - who has been compared to Spanish midfield maestros Andres Iniesta and Xavi - makes it look so easy.

Having made her debut for Hibernian and Scotland when she was 16, Little moved south two years later and helped Arsenal continue their dominance of English football with four consecutive top-flight titles, three FA Cups and four League Cups.

After the Gunners slipped down the pecking order, Little took on a new challenge with Seattle and finished as the league's top scorer as her side won the regular season championship.

Little's achievements at international level are more modest in comparison.

Scotland came within a whisker of qualifying for the 2013 European Championship but are yet to reach a major international tournament.

Little got a taste of international fame during the 2012 Olympics, where she helped Great Britain to a famous win over Brazil in front of 70,000 fans at Wembley.

With GB not competing in the 2016 Rio Olympics, she will have to wait until 2017 at least before she has any hope of gracing a finals again.