Scotland to host Belgium in pre-Nations League friendly

Scotland will face Belgium in a friendly match as part of the preparations for the UEFA Nations League.

Marouane Fellaini battles for the ball with Robert Snodgrass during the last meeting between the two sides. Picture: Robert Perry

Alex McLeish’s side will play the Red Devils at Hampden on Friday September 7, three days before their Nations League opener against Albania.

Scotland last hosted Belgium in 2013, in a 2014 World Cup qualifier. The visitors won 2-0 thanks to goals from Kevin Mirallas and Steven Defour.

It will be the 18th meeting between the two countries since 1946, with the Belgians currently leading on aggregate by ten victories to four.

McLeish said: “I am delighted to have secured such high quality opposition for our free fixture date at the start of our UEFA Nations League campaign.

“As a side currently ranked in the top five in the world, Belgium are the standard to which our players should be aspiring and set the bar in terms of what we are trying to achieve with our play.

“With the fixture kicking off the crucial UEFA Nations League campaign, there is no better opportunity for our players to stake a claim for a place than by proving their mettle against players of this calibre.”

Scotland have a currently free date during the Nations League campaign and an additional friendly match is set to be announced in due course.