Going into her second season of professional football, the 17-year-old reflects on the lessons and experiences from her first year in the senior game.
Speaking to the official Rangers website ahead of the big European tie, the midfielder discusses her development over the past year and the experiences that have helped shape her as a player.
She said: “I think last season was really good for me. I think in terms of as a team, we didn't win what we wanted to win, but I think for me personally, getting the minutes at that age was really good for me.
“I think you have to think quicker and make your decisions faster. I think that's something that I've had to obviously adapt to.
“All the experienced players have been really helpful to the young players; I think it's just given me the confidence to be able to play my game.
“She's [Leanne] been amazing for me, giving me the minutes that I got last season and now has been great for me as a player developing. I'm just really thankful for the trust that she's put in me.”
Cruft had the opportunity to represent England at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup 2026, with the team’s journey coming to an end following a defeat to Nigeria in the Round of 16.
The youngster talks through her experience on the international stage and the lessons she can carry forward from the tournament. She explains: “Playing in a World Cup is something that I've always dreamed of doing.
“Playing against different countries like Brazil was really exciting for me.
“There's obviously lots of different styles of play, and playing against countries with different cultures and different ways of playing football will allow me to adapt as a player.
“We obviously didn't go as far as we wanted to, but being able to play all these teams and just perform at a World Cup is amazing.
“It's quite full on because you're always away and you're always with the same people. You do get free time, which is good, but you're always in that bubble, which is nice because you feel more together as a team.
“My granddad was there for the whole time. My dad and a lot of my family were there too. It was great to have all that support out there for me.”
Following an emphatic win at the weekend, the team face another demanding week as they face Hammarby IF in the second leg of the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Cup.
The English midfielder is looking forward to welcoming Hammarby IF to Broadwood and urges the Rangers supporters to be there to back the team. She adds: “Playing in Europe is a really big test and something that we want to do.
“It was obviously a difficult game. They're a really good side, but I think we'll just need to take the learnings from that first leg and take it into this game and hopefully put in a good performance.
“It's those types of games that, as a player, you always want to play in.
“I'm really excited and looking forward to it. Hopefully we can put on a good performance for the fans.”
