Delighted Aberdeen defender Andrew Considine makes World Cup claim

Andrew Considine believes qualifying for next year’s World Cup in Qatar would mean even more to the Scotland squad than their success in reaching this summer’s delayed Euro 2020 finals.

Aberdeen defender Andrew Considine during a Scotland training session at Oriam in Edinburgh this week ahead of the opening 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Austria, Israel and Faroe Islands. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The wild celebrations among the Scotland players after the epic penalty shoot-out play-off win in Serbia last November underlined the significance of ending the nation’s long wait to play in a major tournament for the first time since the 1998 World Cup.

But while the projected fixtures against Czech Republic, Croatia and England at Hampden and Wembley in June will clearly be momentous for the Scots, Considine feels they would be eclipsed by a place at the 2022 World Cup finals.

“It would probably mean even more than what’s potentially coming this summer,” said the Aberdeen defender.

“It would be absolutely huge for all the boys and for everybody in the country it would be incredible to be involved. I remember watching the last World Cup we were at on the TV as a young lad and you could see how much it means to everybody.”

Considine has kept his place in Steve Clarke’s squad after earning his first call-up at the age of 33 last October and hopes to add to his three caps in the opening Group F games against Austria, Israel and Faroe Islands over the next week.

“I’m delighted to be involved again,” he said. “We want to get off to a good start and if we can come away with three wins, or a couple of wins and a draw, I think it would be a fantastic start.”

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