Scottish football is reaching the business end of the season, and whilst there is still business to attend to domestically, there’s also the prospect of a World Cup in North America just a few weeks away.
The Scottish Premiership season looks set to go right to the wire, with Hearts attempting to finally end the duopoly of Rangers and Celtic and win the league title against the odds.
Derek McInnes has worked wonders so far at Tynecastle, but no one can rule Celtic out despite a slow start to the season that has seen managerial risks taken and poor performances in Europe.
The upcoming games against Falkirk and Hibernian before the Old Firm, followed by the Scottish Cup final, mean a domestic double remains on the cards. That would work wonders not just for The Bhoys but for their contingent jetting off to America for the World Cup
The Tartan Army face a daunting group. The opening match against Haiti is everything. Win that, and they’ll be full of confidence to challenge AFCON finalists Morocco and five-time champions Brazil.
Celtic possess multiple international stars like Daizen Maeda and Cameron Carter-Vickers, but with a core of homegrown Scottish players, the Bhoys can genuinely fly the flag for Steve Clarke’s side this summer.
Scotland could be an outside punt in free World Cup bets for a wildcard entry if they can hit the ground running. Here are the key players to watch.
Kieran Tierney
Kieran Tierney may no longer wear the armband for Scotland, that honour belongs to Andy Robertson, but his importance to the national team is unquestionable. He is, quite simply, the most versatile defender in the squad.
The 28-year-old can play as a traditional left-back, slot into a back three or push forward as a wing-back. That tactical flexibility is gold dust in tournament football, where injuries, suspensions and quick turnarounds demand adaptability from every member of the squad.
Clarke knows he can trust Tierney in multiple positions without compromising defensive solidity.
He has been here before too. Euro 2020, Arsenal’s FA Cup triumph and countless high-pressure fixtures have hardened him into a leader without needing the title. His experience at the highest level of club football gives Scotland a foundation that younger players can lean on when the pressure mounts.
For the World Cup, Tierney is the glue. The player who makes Clarke’s preferred system function regardless of opposition or circumstance.
Anthony Ralston
Every World Cup has one. The player who wasn’t supposed to be the headline act but ends up writing the story anyway. Anthony Ralston fits that mould perfectly.
His Celtic career has been a rollercoaster. Over a decade of service. Loan spells to Queens Park and Dundee, dips in form, and questions about his ceiling. But this season he has rediscovered the version of himself that fans fell in love with. The extra-time winner against St Mirren just about summed him up.
Ralston is the sort of player who pops up when it matters. He’s not the flashiest full-back Scotland will take to America, but he might be the most emotionally resonant. He plays with heart, with urgency, with a sense that every minute is a gift rather than a guarantee. In tournament football, that energy can prove infectious.
Clarke values players who understand the weight of representing Scotland. Ralston wears that responsibility visibly, and his teammates respond to it. If Scotland need a spark, a late run, a surprise assist or a moment of chaos in the box, Ralston is exactly the kind of wildcard who can deliver it when the stage demands something special.
Ross Doohan
Backup goalkeepers rarely dominate pre-tournament chatter, but they matter enormously when things go wrong. Ross Doohan may have to wait for his moment, but he must be ready if called upon.
As the recen Mersyide Derby showed, goalkeeping depth can go from afterthought to crisis point in a heartbeat. Freddie Woodman was handed a Premier League debut for Liverpool after Giorgi Mamardashvili was stretchered off, despite only playing once in the League Cup for Arne Slot.
Like Woodman, Doohan sits on the fringes of the national squad behind Angus Gunn, but crucially, he’s close enough to be called upon if needed. Clarke has brought him into camps before, and although he missed out on recent qualifiers, that proximity matters in tournament scenarios.
Scotland’s goalkeeping landscape has shifted dramatically in recent years. With Craig Gordon likely to retire after the World Cup should he be fit enough to make it, the hierarchy behind the number one is far less settled than it once was.
Doohan is trusted enough to be in the conversation, which counts for something when Clarke is selecting his final squad.
He may not play a minute at the World Cup. But if he’s needed, whether through injury, suspension or form, he’ll be ready.
The Celtic Alumni Flying the Flag
Celtic’s influence on this Scotland squad extends well beyond the current Parkhead dressing room. Several former Bhoys will also be carrying the nation’s hopes across different club contexts.
Ryan Christie represents the creative spark who can unlock tight games with a moment of invention that changes everything. His Bournemouth teammate Ben Doak could also feature if he returns to fitness in time. The winger left Paradise for Liverpool at 17 but still developed his skills at Airdrie.
Jack Hendry has matured significantly since leaving Glasgow and now brings composure and experience to Clarke’s back line.
Scotland will need that calmness when facing Brazil’s attacking threat. All three spent formative time at Celtic, and all three could play pivotal roles in Scotland’s World Cup journey
The Bhoys Who Could Define a Nation’s Summer
Scottish football’s relationship with Celtic has always been complicated, but at a World Cup, those club allegiances fade into something simpler.
These are Scottish players representing their country, and the fact they developed at or currently play for Celtic becomes secondary to what they can achieve in the dark blue jersey.
If Scotland can navigate their group and reach the knockout stages, it would represent one of the greatest achievements in the nation’s footballing history.
The group is brutally difficult, with Morocco and Brazil representing enormous challenges. But tournament football rewards organisation, togetherness and moments of individual brilliance in equal measure.
The Celtic connection runs through this squad like a thread. Whether they’re current players or alumni, whether they wear the armband or sit on the bench, they all carry the experience of playing for one of football’s great clubs into representing their country.
That matters more than people realise when the pressure mounts and the stakes are highest.
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