The Tartan Army is marching again, with enough heart to fill every stadium in North America. Scotland have been the lovable underdogs of world football for decades, and 2026 could be the tournament where they finally get out of the group stage. There is real quality this time. Scott McTominay has turned into a goalscorer at Napoli, and Andy Robertson is still bombing down the left. Whether it is enough is the question.
Steve Clarke is in charge of a side sitting around 40th in the FIFA ranking, with John McGinn, McTominay and Robertson as its spine.
Why Scotland are hard to beat
Clarke has built a tactically disciplined unit that is extremely difficult to break down. In front of and around that defence:
- McTominay, reinvented at Napoli as a midfielder who scores, adds the firepower they used to lack
- Robertson brings Champions League experience from Liverpool and ranks among the best left-backs at the tournament
- McGinn offers tireless energy, physical power and European experience with Aston Villa
The travelling support deserves a line as well. It is one of the most passionate, and most numerous, in world football.
Realistically, Scotland have enough to compete in the group and probably not enough for a deep run. McTominay is the difference-maker. If he scores the way he does at Napoli, anything is possible. If he doesn't, it will be another heroic failure, which is the Scottish way.
Tomorrow: number 27.
