Scotland have cause for optimism ahead of 2026 World Cup bid as intriguing decisions await Steve Clarke

This time next year, what will be the temperature be like in Scotland? Not in a literal sense, although it’s possible to take a guess. Rather, what will the passion-levels be reading ahead of the approaching World Cup?

Will it be a case of trying desperately to see the positive side of things despite Scotland’s latest non-appearance, which would take it to seven World Cups without the Tartan Army’s involvement; ‘A month of football, what’s not to like? OK Scotland aren’t there, but maybe that’s just as well…’ Or will World Cup fever be sweeping the country in a way Euros fever was bubbling up rather nicely this time 12 months ago.

No one is expected to be inclined to the mark the one year anniversary of Scotland putting, er, Gibraltar to the sword with a 2-0 pre-finals warm-up win. It did become retrospectively significant as it stood as Scotland’s only victory of last year until a 1-0 win over Croatia in November. A somewhat bleak Euro experience ensued with just one draw before an under-pressure Steve Clarke steered his side to third place in their League A Nations League group. Redemption, ahoy!

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke looks on during the Nations League A/B play-off second leg defeat to Greece at Hampden Park, on March 23, 2025. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group

As ever with Scotland, it might have been a case of one step forward, two steps back. The 3-1 aggregate play-off defeat to Greece was as unexpected as it was disappointing though perhaps helped jolt some back into a reality where the number of wins for the last 20 games stands at: four. Clarke will rightly point out that it is three wins from the last four outings – and good wins too.

Back-to-back successes against Croatia and Poland were followed up by a fine 1-0 win against Greece in Piraeus in the first leg of a Nations League play-off. This run came badly unstitched in the second leg, which finished 0-3. A 17-year-called Konstantinos Karetsas who had previously played for Belgium under-age teams but had recently switched to Greece, the country of his parents’ birth, stole the show.

It was a reminder of what Scotland do not currently have: a generational talent with the potential to inspire an entire team. Liverpool’s Ben Doak, who is being strongly linked with a move to Everton after impressing on loan at Middlesbrough, might yet become this. He is at a crossroads in his career and is nevertheless injured as Scotland regroup again ahead of two friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein. They are the last so called meaningless games before things start to get very serious again indeed in Autumn, when Scotland kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign with matches against Denmark and Belarus.

Greece's Konstantinos Karetsas celebrates as he scores to make it 2-0 over Scotland at Hampden. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Cautious optimism - but an old conundrum to solve

Scotland are between what they hope will be successive major finals but are they in a better place than this time last year? The temptation is to say: yes, they are. Only Callum McGregor has stepped away from the scene.

As much as there was some fervour in the country last summer, the Scotland squad certainly didn’t look equipped to storm the finals and were found badly wanting in the first game against the hosts. Of course, a cruel injury to Lyndon Dykes did not help although that wasn’t the reason Scotland flopped.

Clarke seemed wedded to a back five that limited the team’s attacking ambitions and left the team unbalanced. An injury to Kieran Tierney forced Clarke’s hand somewhat following the Euros although there might have been insurrection at the gates had he stuck with a back five. Of course, with Tierney now back, he has at that option once more when trying to find a way to accommodate both Tierney and skipper Andy Robertson. Clarke held firm in the games against Greece, with Tierney coming on in a left midfield role in both legs. It will be interesting to learn how he intends to navigate the Robertson-Tierney conundrum this time around with the inclusion of Sassuolo’s Serie A bound Josh Doig providing another fascinating layer. This is the chance to experiment. But perhaps it’s the other side of defence where most intrigue exists – together with hope.

Nathan Patterson finished the season playing for Everton while Max Johnston has won a second consecutive Austrian Bundesliga title with Sturm Graz. Now 21, if he’s not ready to claim the problematic Scotland right back berth then he may never be.

Could Max Johnston (L) and Lennon Miller feature for Scotland in the upcoming friendlies against Iceland and Liechtenstein? (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Anthony Ralston’s strange existence of being No 1 choice for Scotland and deputy for Celtic might now be coming to an end.

Whatever happens, Scotland do, it seems, have options – with George Hirst providing something else in attack to relieve the pressure from Che Adams and Dykes.

Perhaps the most exciting prospect as we approach the start of a World Cup season is seeing Aaron Hickey playing again regularly at Brentford, which must remain his first ambition. Clarke will be licking his lips at seeing him in dark blue again.

But the on-going goalkeeper situation aside, some cautious optimism is allowed, particularly when there are two Serie A title winners involved in the current squad - as well as a Coppa Italia champion.