McTominay
Steve Clarke announced Scotland's 26-man World Cup squad on Monday, and the only thing that matters is that it exists at all. Scotland have not been to a World Cup since 1998 — when they faced Brazil and Morocco in the group stage and went home winless. That is 28 years, an entire generation of supporters who have never watched their country at football's defining tournament. They are going back to face Brazil and Morocco again. The Tartan Army are going to Boston. They are going to Miami.
"We have shown that this is a group of players who understand how to qualify for major tournaments," Clarke said. "Most will have been to two major tournaments. It'll come to the fore in this one, and hopefully they'll do something the Scottish team has never done before."
That would be progressing past the group stage. In nine previous World Cup appearances, Scotland have never managed it.
Scott McTominay is Scotland's most important player. The Napoli midfielder has flourished since leaving Manchester United, and his runs from deep — and the goals that come with them — give Clarke's side a dimension they otherwise lack. Billy Gilmour, his club teammate, partners him. John McGinn, fresh from winning the Europa League with Aston Villa in Istanbul, completes a central trio that is experienced, organized, and unlikely to be overawed. Andy Robertson captains the side from left-back, his 92 caps and three Champions League finals with Liverpool making him the squad's most decorated presence.
The surprises are at the margins. Craig Gordon, at 43, makes the squad as first-choice goalkeeper despite not playing since January because of a shoulder injury. Clarke sent goalkeeper coach Chris Woods to Hearts to watch Gordon train and was satisfied. If Gordon plays, he will become the second-oldest player to appear at a World Cup, behind only Egypt's Essam El Hadary, who was 45 in 2018. Behind him, Angus Gunn of Nottingham Forest has played 45 minutes of Premier League football all season, and Rangers' Liam Kelly is the third option. It is not a conventional goalkeeping group.
Findlay Curtis is the youth story. The 19-year-old Rangers midfielder, on loan at Kilmarnock, won his first two caps in the March friendlies and earns his place on form. "Findlay was hopefully jumping around the living room," Clarke said. "He's got something a little bit different to what we've got."
Ross Stewart of Southampton returns to the Scotland squad after a four-year absence, his inclusion partly a consequence of Tommy Conway's injury. Stewart scored nine Championship goals in a disrupted season, including one against Arsenal in the FA Cup. Clarke was direct about why: "He's a striker in form, and I decided to add him to the group."
In defense, Clarke has named 10 players, three of them right-backs. Grant Hanley is included despite injuring his knee on the final day of the Scottish Premiership season. Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson both missed Euro 2024 through injury but are fit. Wrexham's Dominic Hyam — a League One player in a World Cup squad — also makes the cut, as does Kieran Tierney, who joined Celtic on a free after an injury-plagued loan at Real Sociedad and a peripheral final season at Arsenal.
Oli McBurnie, Kieran Bowie, Lennon Miller, and Oliver Burke were all left out.
The squad
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Liam Kelly (Rangers)
Defenders: Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al Ettifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Dom Hyam (Wrexham), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Everton), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers), Kieran Tierney (Celtic)
Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Findlay Curtis (Kilmarnock), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (Napoli)
Forwards: Ché Adams (Torino), Lyndon Dykes (Charlton Athletic), George Hirst (Ipswich), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts), Ross Stewart (Southampton)
Scotland open against Haiti on June 13 at Gillette Stadium in Boston, face Morocco on June 19 at Gillette Stadium, and conclude Group C against Brazil on June 24 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.