Ure's journey has taken him from Belgium to Sweden to facing off against Barca's World Cup winners... and striker is now ready to make his mark on Scotland's new era

When Robbie Ure walked out to face Barcelona in Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium last weekend, he would not have been human if there wasn’t a momentary temptation to pinch himself.

The Catalans’ team included Eric Garcia, Pedri, Rodri, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi, his direct opponent in a 3-1 defeat. Dani Olmo was introduced as a sub while Gavi sat on the bench.

Just two months ago, those seven were hoisting the World Cup aloft with Spain in New Jersey. Not bad company to keep.

It may feel like he’s fallen into a different dimension, but this is now everyday life for the young Scot following his move from Swedish side Sirius earlier in the summer for an initial £5.5million.

Ure won’t pretend that there aren’t still points in his life which feel surreal, but they are becoming fewer with each passing week. Increasingly, he feels like he belongs there.

‘I think that will come with the more times I do it,’ he said. ‘Before the Barcelona game, I wasn’t nervous. I was excited to play in front of an amazing crowd and our own fans.

‘These things are really important, especially for a striker. I do think that I can get to that level.

‘Everything is new and different. New coaches, new team-mates, new atmospheres, new lifestyles, so I need to be patient.’

Ure challenges World Cup winner Pau Cubarsi in Sevilla's clash with Barcelona

The Scot moved to Spain after becoming a star in Sweden for IK Sirius

The striker decided to look elsewhere for a chance after coming through the ranks at Rangers

Ure’s an impressive young man — articulate, level-headed and self-aware. He’s needed that inner calmness in the past couple of months when his life could only have been described as a whirlwind.

The top scorer in Europe at one point when he found the net 15 times at the start of the Swedish season, he’s featured in all of Sevilla’s seven La Liga games and now finds himself on the cusp of full international recognition.

‘If I look back six weeks ago, I was still in Sweden,’ he added. ‘If you take last weekend’s game against Barcelona, looking around and seeing World Cup winners and Champions League winners everywhere, that was quite exciting.’

None of this has happened by accident. As has been well documented lately, without having the courage to turn down a contract at Rangers as a teenager, there would not have been development with Anderlecht’s second team, no step-up to men’s football with Sirius and no move to a top five league.

Now tasked with ensuring young Scottish talents can flourish through opportunities, Craig Mulholland — formerly academy chief at Ibrox — has admitted that Ure was correct to act as he did. But it was still not easy.

‘Growing up there, that’s all I ever knew,’ he recalled. ‘I was quite young as well, so I hadn’t had many of these uncomfortable conversations.

‘Every time he would ask me what I’m thinking, it would be the same response, that I wanted to go and look elsewhere. It was difficult, but it was something I felt like I had to do.

‘When I got closer and closer to men’s football, I started to understand that you have to have that mentality and that attitude because it’s a difficult game to play.

‘You have to make decisions that you think are correct.’

Ure keeps tabs on Atletico Madrid's Marc Pubill in their La Liga meeting

The former Rangers youngster made an impression for Anderlecht's academy team

To be clear, this wasn’t some egotistical kid throwing his arms up in the air because he wasn’t getting his just deserts. Ure appreciated that he wasn’t first-team ready. The trouble was that unless he took charge of the situation, he felt he never would be.

‘I remember I played a couple of games. It was five minutes here, five minutes there towards the end of the year,’ he reflected.

‘The alternative option at that time would be to play another year in the Lowland League or maybe go on a loan to League One in Scotland.

‘So, it was nothing to do with me thinking that I deserved to be in the first team, because I knew myself that I probably wasn’t good enough to play at the time.

‘It was more about me needing to find a level where I knew it was challenging enough that I could continue to develop. And I didn’t think Rangers could offer me that.’

It’s a plain fact that many of his contemporaries who were unwilling to take themselves out of their comfort zones haven’t kicked on like they might have done.

‘Most of the boys are in the Championship, League One, League Two,’ the 22-year-old said.

While it’s conceivable that some could work their way back up the leagues, that’s a tall order. More than any example in recent times, Ure’s pathway underscores how essential it is for emerging talents to be challenged and to play if they are to fulfil their potential.

Sevilla paid £5.5m to land the talented frontman from Sirius during the summer window

‘When you’re aged 18, 19, 20, it’s the most crucial years of your career,’ he stated. ‘When I went to Anderlecht, that’s probably when I first started to develop a lot on the ball.

‘Then to go to Sweden and take that step into a men’s changing room, being able to play at a decent level week in, week out as well, these were the two biggest steps for me.

‘Of course, coming through at Rangers as well was important. But I think in terms of getting me to this position, it was those two steps. If I didn’t make them, I wouldn’t probably be in the position I am now.’

And what a position that is. One of the great cities of Europe, the denizens of Seville have a passion for football which is the equal of anywhere on the continent.

‘Football is a way of life in the city,’ Ure said. ‘So, you’re really living in it. It’s really, really nice. It’s got everything that I need and the people are always welcoming.

‘I’ve not really been out too much because of how hot it is. I’m waiting for the winter to probably see a bit more! It’s mental. Even in September, it’s still 35 degrees every day.’

Much of the time he spends sheltering from the sun is spent improving his Spanish.

‘I’m getting there,’ he explained. ‘I knew a little bit before I went over. And I have a teacher I see twice a week.

‘So, I’ll get there. But I’ll probably need to as well because there’s not a lot of English going on.’

Ure is one of seven uncapped players in Sebastien Pocognoli’s squad. While Che Adams and Lawrence Shankland are injured, you do feel Lyndon Dykes, George Hirst and Ross Stewart are going to have to produce something spectacular to make the next one.

Almost exclusively on the strength of the profile he now enjoys, it feels like Ure is pretty close to the front of the queue.

For a nation that’s unaccustomed to seeing prolific goalscorers in Scotland colours, there’s an excitement about what he might bring. The feeling is reciprocated.

‘I think if I was to say otherwise it would be a bit strange. I want to play as much as I can,’ he said.

‘And, of course, I want to be the striker that’s scoring goals for Scotland.’