Scotland National Team Archives - Page 4 of 5

Robertson Urges Scotland to “Make Home Advantage Count” Ahead of Crucial Double Header

Scotland host Greece and Belarus this weekend in the latest leg of their World Cup Qualifying Campaign, and captain Andy Robertson believes his side can lead the Tartan Army to “America, Canada, and Mexico” next summer. Steve Clarke’s side currently sit second place in Group C, collecting four points against Denmark and Belarus last month. Robertson praised his side’s performances, but also acknowledged that improvements can be made this week. “I thought we got back to our best in September, I thought the lads were good, and we got the results to match that” “Delighted with a point away to the pot 1 team, but I think all the lads were sat in the changing room thinking it could have been more, I do think we had our moments, we had our chances, we had periods of pressure where we had them where we wanted them” Robertson also paid homage to his team’s professionalism against minnows Belarus, referencing that the match “was difficult on lots of different reasons” with none of the Tartan Army present inside the ZTE Arena. Thursday’s match against Greece may spark nightmares for supporters, after a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to the Greeks in March relegated Scotland to Nations League B. Ivan Jovanovic’s side have received a major boost with the return of attacking star Konstantinos Karetsas, who originally looked set to miss the games, but has recovered from illness. The 17-year-old starred in the thrashing, adding the second goal minutes before halftime. Christos Tzolis should also play a pivotal part on Thursday night. The Club Brugge attacker enjoyed a major role in a 9-1 aggregate victory over Rangers in the Champions League Play-off Round. But Scotland will also be bolstered, and have reason to be confident. The return of Premier League stars Ben Gannon-Doak and Aaron Hickey, both injured for Greece’s last visit, will add threat in the wide areas. The captain has urged his side to produce a better performance against Jovanovic’s side tomorrow evening, “The last time we faced Greece here was obviously a huge disappointment, we’ve got to try and learn from that game and learn from our mistakes” Ultimately, it is vital that Scotland perform strongly due to the short qualifying format. With only four games left to secure automatic entry to the World Cup, Robertson admits the campaign is a “bit of a sprint”, reinforcing the importance to kick on in this latest round of fixtures. Two strong performances in Mount Florida would be a major leap towards a first World Cup appearance for 27 painful years. Scotland face Greece at Hampden on October 9th at 7:45pm, and face Belarus on October 12th at 5pm. Both matches will be broadcast on BBC Scotland.

October 8, 2025

Steve Clarke Announces Scotland Squad for Crucial October Double Header

Scotland welcome Greece and Belarus to Hampden Park next month as their World Cup quest continues. Craig Gordon returns to the 25-man squad, as Steve Clarke looks to build on an unbeaten start to Group C. Greece visit Hampden on October 12th and sit 3rd in the group. Clarke’s side were well beaten against the Greeks in March, a 3-0 defeat by Ivan Jovanovic’s side relegated Scotland in the Nations League. Belarus are next on October 15th, a Che Adams strike and an own goal secured a 2-0 away victory for the Scots over Belarus earlier in the group. Scotland Squad Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon, Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly Defenders: Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Aaron Hickey, Scott McKenna, Anthony Ralston, Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney Midfielders: Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Ben Gannon-Doak, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Scott McTominay, Lennon Miller Forwards: Che Adams, Kieron Bowie, Lyndon Dykes, George Hirst

September 30, 2025

McTominay and Weir Represent Scotland on Football’s Biggest Stage

Midfielders Scott McTominay and Caroline Weir were celebrated at the recent Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris. McTominay’s stunning form for Napoli earned him an 18th-place finish in the men’s rankings. His outstanding debut season in Serie A not only saw him win the league’s Player of the Year award but also helped fire Napoli to the Scudetto over Champions League finalists Inter Milan. The midfielder’s high ranking placed him above players like Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, and Virgil van Dijk, with Ousmane Dembele taking home the top prize. On the women’s side, Caroline Weir became the first Scottish woman to ever receive a Ballon d’Or nomination. Finishing 30th, she was a part of a field that saw Aitana Bonmatí claim the award for a third straight year. Weir’s journey started at Hibernian, before moves to clubs like Liverpool, Manchester City, and now Real Madrid. She has netted 31 goals in 59 appearances since moving to Spain.

September 23, 2025

Portugal Show Their Class as Scotland U21s Fall Short in Fir Park Clash

Scotland U21 0-2 Portugal U21 Coming off the back of a first team win for the Scottish men’s national side over Belarus, it was the turn of the young team as the Under-21s faced Portugal at Motherwell’s Fir Park in a UEFA Euro 2027 qualifier. Scotland had lost their opening encounter 2-0 away in Czechia on Friday night and now faced an uphill task against one of the world’s great talent-producing nations, who had been quarter finalists at the previous Euros during the summer. Scot Gemmill made a raft of changes for matchday two, opting to persist with the 3-5-2 formation used against the Czechs. Ruaridh Adams came in to replace Liam McFarlane between the sticks, with Dire Mebude, Kristi Montgomary, Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen and Findlay Curtis also starting in place of Ben McPherson, Aidan Borland, James Wilson and Cameron Gardner. The visitors got us underway shooting towards the Davie Cooper Stand and controlled much of the early possession, testing Adams with a few long-range efforts without overly troubling the East Fife stopper. They did, however, open the scoring. Geovany Quenda picked the ball up on the right wing and delivered a pinpoint curling cross into the six-yard box for Porto wonderkid Rodrigo Mora to flick home past the rooted Adams and into the far corner. The diminutive 5’6” attacking midfielder ghosted into the area and finished superbly, underlining why he is already being touted for a full senior call-up. Scotland were on the back foot for much of the half but carved out a couple of half-chances of their own. Former Rangers and Man City youngster Mebude found himself through one-on-one with Portuguese keeper João Carvalho in the dying minutes of the first period. An excellent pass from wide by Curtis found him free on the penalty spot, but the Westerlo striker fired straight at the Braga man, who deflected the shot clear to preserve Portugal’s narrow half-time lead. The visitors doubled their advantage early in the second half. Scotland, attempting to play out from the back, were caught in possession and the ball broke to Mora on the edge of the box with a clear sight of goal. He drove forward, drawing Donovan across, before cleverly slipping the ball to Roger Fernandes, who swept home for 2-0. The €35m summer signing for Saudi side Al-Ittihad marked his first Under-21s goal with total ease. The Scots were handed a lifeline when Portuguese captain and West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes was sent off for a poor challenge on substitute Miller Thomson. He initially received a booking for the tackle but talked himself into an early bath with dissent moments later, reducing his side to ten men. Gemmill made changes in an attempt to inject freshness into his side, but the damage had already been done. The outnumbered Iberians showed their quality, holding firm to secure a valuable three points which moved them top of Group B, level on six points with the Czechs but ahead on goal difference with +7. Portugal demonstrated the value of a squad stacked with players boasting regular first-team football, using their experience to manage the game with ten men and limiting Scotland to very little in the closing stages. For Scotland, the result leaves them with just one win from their last five outings and already trailing the group leaders by six points. They return to action in mid-October with a must-win double-header against Azerbaijan and Malta, the other two winless sides in the section. The young team have not qualified for a major tournament since the 1996 Euros, and need a return to form if that statistic is to change any time soon. Scotland: Adams 6; Donovan 6, Chilokoa-Mullen 5 (Cleall-Harding 5), Graham 5, Anderson 4 (Frame 5), Montgomary 5 ; Watson 6, Kelly 5 (One 6), Lawrence 4 (Thomson 6); Curtis 7 (Wilson 4), Mebude 3 Subs not used: McKenna, Mahady; McPherson, Borland. Portugal: Carvalho 8; Travassos 7 (Forbs 5), Gabriel 7, Oliveira 6, Parente 7; Quenda 8, Rodrigues 6 (Sa 5), M. Fernandes 2, D. Fernandes 7 (Sampio 6); Mora 9 (Amorim 5); Valera 7 (Semedo 6) Subs not used: Gomes; Barroso, Moriera, Balde.

September 10, 2025

Scotland Build Momentum: Main Talking Points from Denmark & Belarus

Steve Clarke’s Scotland kicked off their World Cup qualifying campaign on a positive note, securing four points from their first two Group C fixtures. Last night’s comfortable 2-0 victory over Belarus capped off a solid opening round. While not the most spectacular match to watch, the win was both professional and controlled, leaving the team well-positioned for the upcoming matches. The ever-stoic Clarke himself described it as “A good start,” and now has his sights set on the upcoming home fixture against Greece at Hampden. With the Tartan Army feeling optimistic, can we finally dream of a first World Cup appearance for 27 years? Much-Needed Defensive Stability Scotland’s successful qualifying run for the Euros in Germany was built on resolute defence. They began that campaign with four clean sheets in five games, ErlingHaaland’s penalty in Oslo was the only blemish on the spectacular start. This strong foundation crumbled in the lead-up to and during Euro 2024, with high-scoring losses to Germany, Netherlands, and France, as well as five goals conceded in their final qualifying matches against Georgia and Norway. With clean sheets against both Denmark and Belarus to open the latest campaign, there’s reason to believe Scotland’s defensive prowess is returning. Grant Hanley’s solid showing in Copenhagen was particularly impressive and a welcome sight for fans. Exciting Youth Options The team was bolstered with some exciting young talent. Ben Doak offers a dynamic option on the wing. The former Celtic youngster plays with no fear and was a constant threat to the Belarus defence. His impressive loan spell at Middlesbrough last season earned him a £20 million move to Premier League side Bournemouth. His positive performance against Belarus may just be enough to earn him a start against Greece next month. Additionally, Aaron Hickey has made a welcome return to the squad. A hamstring injury had sidelined him for 16 months, causing him to miss a potential place in Scotland’s Euro 2024 squad. He was dropped straight in against Denmark and delivered a strong performance on the right hand side. With regular first-team football at Brentford, he is another player who could make a significant impact on the national side. What’s Next? A crucial double-header against Greece and Belarus looms in four weeks’ time. With both games at Hampden, it presents an excellent opportunity to push closer to a first World Cup in 27 years. While there is still plenty of work to do, The team is in a great position, with three of their final four matches at home. Clarke and the squad will be well aware of Greece’s threat, especially after a convincing 3-0 defeat at Hampden in March. That resounding victory saw goals from exciting young talents like Konstantinos Karetsas and Christos Tzolis. Rangers fans will know all about the latter, who was involved in Club Brugge’s 9-1 triumph over the Ibrox side last month. But with a more resolute defensive setup, and the inclusion of fresh talents like Doak and Hickey, the team should be far better equipped to secure a victory.

September 9, 2025

Scotland Remain Unbeaten After Sweeping Aside Belarus

Scotland maintained their unbeaten start in their bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after a workmanlike 2-0 victory over Belarus. Despite it being an away match, Belarus are under a UEFA sanction which forbids them hosting any games, as well as playing any in front of fans. This meant that the game was held in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, in front of a crowd of 0. Goals from Che Adams and an own goal from Belarusian defender Zakhar Volkov were all that was needed for Scotland, in what was a very convincing performance as they picked up all the points in their second qualifier of the campaign. Scotland lived up to their tags as favourites and imposed themselves in the opening quarter of an hour. It looked like Billy Gilmour may have won a penalty 15 minutes in, but the referee and VAR correctly awarded a Belarus goal kick. Just two minutes later, the Napoli midfielder chested down a cross from Ben Gannon Doak and fired a half volley goal wards from the edge of the box, but this was saved by Fedor Lapoukhov. Gilmour’s club teammate and Ballon D’Or nominee Scott McTominay came even closer just on the half hour mark, where he got onto the end of Max Johnston’s first time lobbed cross, but his stabbed effort went wide of the mark. Gilmour again nearly gave Scotland the lead with a low bullet being saved onto the post just minutes before the half time break, but from this the ball broke to John McGinn, who curled a cross in from wide right, which was met by McTominay who headed it across the six yard box for Torino forward Che Adams to slide on to as the two Serie A players linked up to put the Scots ahead just before half time. The workmanlike performance continued from Scotland as they continued to impose themselves on the game, with McTominay putting a trademark leaping header straight down the Belarus keeper’s throat eight minutes after the restart. But the two goal cushion came 25 minutes from time, with Gilmour and Adams playing a neat one-two, finalised with a Gilmour header being knocked into the Belarus net by Volkov. Che Adams could’ve had a double on the 81st minute. The striker, who scored his 10th goal for his national side tonight, opted to round the goalkeeper after a zipped ball into his feet from captain Andy Robertson, with the resulting effort cleared off the line by Pavel Zabelin. Scotland now have 4 points from their opening two matches, tonight and a resolute 0-0 draw away to Denmark, and have a great opportunity in the October international break to stamp their authority on the shaping of the group with a Hampden double header against Greece and Belarus respectively. SCOTLAND: Gunn 6, Robertson 7, McKenna 7, Souttar 6, Johnston 6 (Hickey 2), Ferguson 6, Gilmour 8 (McLean 1), McGinn 7, McTominay 7 (Miller 1), Doak 8 (Christie 2), Adams 7 (Dykes 1) BELARUS: Lapoukhov 6, Pechenin 5 (Malkevich 2), Zabelin 6, Volkov 4 (Demchenko 2), Parkhomenko 5, Karpovich 4 (Pigas 5), Ebong 5, Kalinin 6, Myakish 5 (Gromyko 3), Barkovskiy 5, Malashevich 4 (Melnichenko 4)

September 8, 2025

Scotland Kick Off Qualification Campaign With A Hard Fought Point

Denmark 0 – 0 Scotland Scotland kick of World Cup Qualification with hard fought draw away to Denmark as Steve Clarke’s men stand firm Steve Clarke went bold with his team selection favouring two up top Lyndon Dykes returning to the team on his return from injury partnering Che Adams. Aaron Hickey made his first start for Scotland in nearly two years. Angus Gunn the man chosen between the sticks after his injury against Iceland in June Denmark enjoyed the bulk of possession in the first five minutes winning a corner in the first minute, Anders Dreyer’s delivery failing to meet a Danish head. Pierre- Emile Hojberg picked up the first booking of the game with a crunching tackle on John McGinn, the resulting free-kick failing to trouble the Danish backline The first real chance of the game fell to Lyndon Dykes in the 14th minute seeing a headed effort sail over the bar after a pinpoint delivery from Scotland skipper Andy Robertson Denmark had a sustained period of pressure on the Scotland backline with the Scots being to open at the back leading to two corners.Both corners failed to trouble the backline. 19 minutes in John McGinn put the ball just past the post from Scotland’s first corner of the game as he met the delivery of Lewis Ferguson. Just before the half hour mark Mika Biereth saw his effort deflected out for a corner off John Souttar after he met Ramsus Kristensen’s cross into the box. In the 32nd minute Lewis Ferguson with an aggressive press easily dispossessed Hojberg in the middle of the park before slotting through Ryan Christie who flew an effort well off target . Angus Gunn was quick off his line to collect the ball after neat passing play from Denmark led to Mika Biereth being through on goal. Referee Daniel Sibert was quick to ensure tempers didn’t flair after Kasper Dolberg left a bit on Angus Gunn after a cross into the box was collected by the Scotland number one. 5 minutes before half time John McGinn put a delightful cross into the box after doing well to win the ball back which met the head of Ryan Christie whose effort trickled wide of the target. Ryan Christie was the second Scotland player into the book minutes before half time after he left a high tackle on Denmark’s Pierre-Emile Hojberg with the challenge surviving a VAR check. The resulting free kick was hoisted into the box to no avail. Scotland started the second half with intent John McGinn running onto a ball that bounced his way with Maele deflecting the strikeout for a corner. in the 49th minute after a quiet first half for both goalkeepers, Scott McTominay fired a ball towards the goal with Kasper Schmeichel being called into action a strong leg keeping the ball out. Scotland fans had their heart in their mouths as a neat passage of play by the Danes saw Hojberg’s strong effort deflected just by the post by Grant Hanley out for a corner. The resulting corner was then fired over by Hojberg. After a wave of Denmark attacks Scotland had a glorious chance as Che Adams fed the ball into Lyndon Dykes after excellent play between Hickey and McGinn who was unable to get his shot of quick enough and deflected wide for a corner of Kristensen. Just after the half hour mark Aaron Hickey had to be quick to react as Maele was free at the back post deflecting the ball out for a corner as the Danes cranked up the pressure. Anders Dreyer was next to send a shot towards the Scotland goal rippling the net as his long range effort buried itself in the side netting. With 20 minutes remaining, merely minutes after coming on Max Johnston survived a VAR scare for a red card after he handled the ball with Mika Biereth being through on goal. Entering the final ten minutes and with the Scots visibly tiring Denmark began to crank up the pressure taking charge of proceedings winning a succession of corners. Steve Clarke turned towards his bench with seven minutes remaining on the clock Hirst, Gannon-Doak and McLean entering the fray to bring fresh energy to the Scotland side as they searched for a winner. Almost instantly Gannon-Doak made an impact as he fired an effort towards goals which was deflected out wide for a corner clipping the post on it’s way out. With 3 minutes remaining Angus Gunn was tested for the first time with a quick reaction save from Rasmus Hojlund although the offside flag was quickly raised. With 5 minutes added Denmark hunted for a winner to no avail with their only real chance coming from Hojberg whose header was easily into the hands of Angus Gunn Denmark: Schmeichel 6 Kristensen 7 Andersen 7 Christensen 7 Maehle 7 Dreyer 5 Hojberg 6 Hjulmand 5 Damsgard 7 Dolberg 5 Biereth 6 Substitutes: Grønbæk 5 Højlund 6 Froholdt 6 Scotland: Gunn 7 Hickey 7 Souttar 7 Hanley 7 Robertson 6 McGinn 7 Ferguson 6 McTominay 7 Christie 6 Dykes 7 Adams 6 Substitutes: Johnston 5 Hirst 5 Gannon-Doak 5 McLean 5

September 6, 2025

Clarke Believes Scotland can “Deliver” World Cup for Tartan Army

It has been 27 years since Scotland’s last World Cup appearance, a campaign that ended with defeat to Morocco in Saint-Etienne. Steve Clarke and the Tartan Army are ready to start a new journey, with their latest qualifying campaign kicking off this evening. The first assignment is a difficult tie against Pot 1 Denmark in Copenhagen, a city where Scotland were previously swept aside comfortably. Captain Andy Robertson started that 2-0 defeat, and is wary of the Danes threat,” I remember last time we were out there they like to start fast”. Scotland also head to the ZTE Arena in Hungary to face Belarus on neutral ground. With Greece also in the group, Clarke is confident that his team can handle the challenges. “This group of players and this group of coaches can deliver, so that’s what we have to try and do,”. The manager’s belief comes despite Scotland’s dip in form following Euro 2024. This includes relegation from Group A of the Nations League after a 3-0 home defeat to Greece in March, and a further 3-1 friendly defeat to Iceland in June. Despite the recent setbacks, Clarke is keen to give the Tartan Army a new World Cup dream to believe in, “I think they enjoyed their time in Germany”, “If we can take them across the ocean to America, then I’m sure they’ll love it.” Squad Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn, Zander Clark, Liam Kelly Defenders: Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Aaron Hickey, Dom Hyam, Max Johnston, Scott McKenna, Anthony Ralston Andy Robertson, John Souttar, Kieran Tierney Midfielders: Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Ben Gannon Doak, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn, Kenny McLean, Scott McTominay, Lennon Miller Forwards: Ché Adams, Kieron Bowie, Lyndon Dykes, George Hirst

September 5, 2025

Key Inclusions and Unfortunate Omissions from Steve Clarke’s Scotland Squad Announcement

A crucial three months await Steve Clarke’s Scotland, as they aim for a first World Cup appearance for 27 years. The first assignment – consecutive away trips to the Telia Parken and the ZTE Arena to face Denmark and Belarus. With the squad confirmed last week, let’s look at the key inclusions and omissions. Three Players to Watch Kieron Bowie The roar of Easter Road could be heard around Europe after Bowie’s 40-yard rocket against Partizan Belgrade. Hibs’ number 9 is powerful and dogged, with three goals already this season; he could be a valuable asset to help fire Scotland to the World Cup. Scott McTominay An obvious pick, but Napoli’s talisman arrives at camp with a Ballon d’Or nomination to his name. After firing Napoli to Serie A glory, the Scot is showing no signs of slowing down after an opening weekend goal against Sassuolo. Aaron Hickey The Brentford fullback made his long-awaited return in the opening Premier League weekend against Nottingham Forest. His minutes may be managed, but the prospect of a right-sided partnership with Ben Doak is mouthwatering. Three Unlucky Omissions Josh Mulligan The Hibs midfielder has been outstanding since his summer move from Dundee. Comfortable in midfield and wing back, his versatility could be effective for Steve Clarke. He also has two goals to his name, including a stunning 2nd for The Hibees against Livingston in the League Cup. Stuart Findlay Derek McInnes’ Hearts side was bolstered with eleven new additions, including the inclusion of Stuart Findlay. The former Kilmarnock defender has slotted seamlessly into the Hearts defence and scored three league goals in the process. Findlay hasn’t featured for Scotland in 2019 but could be a valuable addition for the qualifying games. Nicky Cadden A standout in Hibs’ run to 3rd place, Cadden offered plenty of attacking threat on the left-hand side. Scotland is spoilt for leftback choices, captain Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney are regular starters. However, Cadden’s consistent and dangerous delivery could be a useful tool off the bench if Clarke’s men are chasing a game. Scotland play Denmark on Friday, September 5th, with Belarus to follow on Monday, September 8th.

September 3, 2025

Warsaw magic as Scotland net late winner against Poland

Scotland gave themselves a fighting chance of remaining in the Nations League’s top tier as Andy Robertson’s header in added time condemned the Poles to relegation. It was a rope-a-dope contest from the off but the Scots landed to first blow as John McGinn’s finish, teed up by Ben Doak, gave his side the lead after only three minutes. There were enough permutations to keep even the sharpest producers in the commentators’ ears scrambling but Steve Clarke’s men needed take care of what was in front of them first. As the game wore on Poland showed no signs of letting do so as Jakub Kaminski and Adam Buksa continued to probe for an equaliser. Despite the continued pressure from the home side, it became clear that they were in desperate need of Robert Lewandowski, repeatedly spurning chances without testing the ageless Craig Gordon nearly as much as they should have. Scotland for their part, never settled for a one goal lead, knowing they would need at least another to give themselves the best possible chance of finishing second in the group. A result that would place them amongst the top seeds for the World Cup qualifiers. Not once, but twice did the Scots rattle the bar, Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay both coming tantalisingly close to edging their side towards the coveted spot. As the second-half bore on both sides began to tire, the end to end action and quick beginning to take its toll on the likes of Doak. With results going their way in Zagreb, Scotland needed to weather the storm but could little as Kamil Piatkowski landed a sucker punch near the hour mark, his thunderous shot from outside the box an impossible proposition for even the most talented keepers. Giving away a lead with the clock running down fast, Steve Clark had been here before. He watched from the sidelines as play maintained its frantic energy, very much at the expense of composure and accuracy. As the final bell approached, the Scots looked weary and out of ideas to prevent their descent into the second tier. That was until John Souttar launched a cross into the box met by a leaping Andy Robertson whose fourth ever goal for his country sent Poland onto the canvas and the Tartan Army into rapture. No top seed but Scots will take heart Whilst Croatia’s equaliser might have put paid to any chance of finishing second in the group and giving Clarke’s men an easier chance of qualification, there was plenty to shout about from the action in Warsaw. Craig Gordon’s inspired performances have made him a clear favourite for the jersey, even when Angus Gunn does make a return from injury. The only person challenging his place between the sticks will be Father Time as Gordon will be forty-three by the time 2026 rolls around. Meanwhile, fans will have been disappointed to see teen sensation Doak leave the field after just over an hour but the late goal shows the side have the tools to win games without relying on one player. Lightening the weight of expectations on his shoulders can only be beneficial to his career in the long run. Finally, Scotland have finally shown they can close out games. The horrors of Portugal, Poland and Croatia in the opening games of their Nations League campaign seemed to have condemned this generation to lack the mental fortitude to cut it at the level that befitted the players’ ability. The previous two victories have instead shown quite the opposite, their resilience giving them the opportunity to continue to test themselves against Europe’s best. They have momentum in the tank, they will now need every drop of it as play-offs potentially await.

November 18, 2024

Scotland National Team