Scotland Men's Football Team

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Steve Clarke has been speaking to the media before Scotland host Japan in a World Cup warm-up friendly on Saturday.

Here are the key lines from the Scotland boss:

• Clarke says because a number of his players are coming back from injury or carrying niggles at this stage of the season, some of his selections "might raise an eyebrow a little bit".

• He is eager for players to be fresh for the World Cup: "My job is to make sure the players come out of these [games] fit, well and ready for the end of the season at the clubs and obviously to be ready for the summer."

• He adds: "Both matches [Scotland face Ivory Coast on Tuesday] will be important in terms of preparation for the World Cup games. For us it's looking at one or two things that are different, looking at one or two different personnel across the squad, trying to use as many players as we can and yet get as positive results that we can."

• Scotland are back together for the first time since securing qualification with victory over Denmark in November, and Clarke says: "We reflected a little bit on what we had achieved in the qualifying campaign, because obviously we'd gone months without a game. So that was nice to catch up, reflect on what we did, the resilience that we had to get to qualification."

• Seeing Republic of Ireland, Wales and Northern Ireland lose in the play-offs underlines what Scotland have achieved: "I think it's the perils of being in the play-off system. We watched all the games on split screens. I think it also shows the measure of how well our team did in qualifying direct for the tournament. To finish top of our group and in front of a good Denmark and Greece side is something we should be proud of, I thought it was good."

• Having handed Findlay Curtis a first call-up, Clarke says the 19-year-old winger isn't one for the future – he's for now. Curtis brings "something a little bit different" and offers pace in the absence of Ben Gannon-Doak.

• Clarke outlines how he's fostered a "club" spirit in the national squad: "The thing for me was to get a continuity of selection as much as possible while I was still trying to drip-feed younger players into the mix at the right time. And a familiarity of players, so that when you do meet up, the players immediately switch off and realise this is how we do it when we come to the Scotland camp. And I think that, allied to the fantastic balance of the players that I've got, have helped us to earn three qualifications over the last seven years."

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Exciting is building for Scotland's first World Cup in 28 years this summer - but they can't be content just to make up the numbers.

That's the view of Michael Grant, Scottish football correspondent for The Times, who says Steve Clarke's men must aim to become the first Scotland men's team to progress beyond the group stage of a major tournament.

Scotland's previous attempt to achieve that feat fell flat at Euro 2024. After a hammering by hosts Germany in the opening game, they drew with Switzerland and lost to Hungary to finish bottom of the group and end any hope of advancing.

"Of course the World Cup's going be brilliant just to be part of it," Grant told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"But we need a bit more than that as well. It's not just kilts and sporrans and whisky and all the kind of cultural stuff that will go around it.

"Scotland have never got out of a group at a tournament. That has to be the objective and it has to be serious and that has to be what Steve Clarke is judged on.

"The two tournaments we've reached so far were really poor when we got there. He knows that.

"He's always bristled at the criticism he got, especially for the Germany campaign. But that's the way people felt, that's the way supporters felt as well. They felt let down, they'd spent a lot of money to be there.

"That is the objective, it's not just to be at the World Cup. Ending that 28-year cycle is fantastic and that's entirely down to Steve Clarke and his players but now it's legitimate to want more as well.

"It's legitimate to say, right, let's really push hard to get out of the group."

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Steve Clarke would bring "wins and stability" to Celtic, says BBC Scotland's chief sportswriter Tom English, but would his "face fit"?

The Glasgow giants are on the hunt for a permanent manager this summer with former boss Martin O'Neill in charge of the side until the end of the season.

Clarke is due to depart the Scotland job after the World Cup, with no new contract offer currently on the table from the Scottish FA.

"One of the things that I have learned over my many years is never to second guess anything in Scottish football, especially this season," English told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Could it happen? Yes, it could. Would Celtic fans want it to happen? I don't want speak for them but certainly some of the Celtic fans I know have articulated the views that they wouldn't want to see Steve Clarke come in.

"They'd want to see somebody maybe a bit younger, a bit more European, in terms of their style of football, a bit more flamboyant. I'm not sure that that's necessarily what Celtic needs right now.

"What Celtic need is a lot of wins and a lot of stability. I think Clarke would give them that, but I'm not sure his face would fit there."

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• Scotland are winless in three previous meetings with Japan, drawing 0-0 in 1995 and 2006 and losing 2-0 October 2009. It is the most times Scotland have faced an opponent without scoring in their history; the other countries they've faced without netting are Costa Rica (two), Morocco (one) and Mexico (one).

• Japan have won five of their past six matches against European nations (D1), having lost six in a row beforehand against European teams.

• Scotland have won eight of their past 12 matches (D1 L3), having only won one of their previous 16 beforehand (D5 L10).

• Japan have won seven of their past 10 games in all competitions (D2 L1), including the latest three in a row since a 2-2 friendly draw with Paraguay.

• Scotland won their last friendly in June 2025, beating Liechtenstein 4-0. They haven't won consecutive friendly games since a run of four between March 2015 and March 2016. They are winless in 10 friendlies on home soil (D3 L7) since a 1-0 victory over Denmark in March 2016.

• Japan have scored four goals in each of their past two games against European nations (4-1 v Germany, 4-2 v Turkey) – the only non-European nation to score four-plus goals in three games in a row against European teams is Brazil (three games between 1950-52, four games from 1963-65).

• Scott McTominay has 14 goals for Scotland, all scored in competitive internationals – he is yet to net in 11 friendlies. Only Robert Hamilton (15 goals in Home Nations games between 1899 and 1911) has more goals for the Scots without netting in a non-competitive game.

• Japan's Takefusa Kubo has assisted 16 goals in his past 25 international appearances, averaging an assist every 92 minutes. He has also scored six goals in those 25 games, meaning he has a goal or assist every 67 minutes.

Nathan Patterson is putting talks on his Everton future with manager David Moyes on hold and concentrating on securing a place in Scotland's World Cup squad despite the 24-year-old right-back struggling for game time with the Premier League club. (The Scotsman), external

Japan forward Daizen Maeda admits he cannot wait to face his Celtic teammates at Hampden this week on international duty against Scotland. (The National), external

Head of men's elite strategy Chris Docherty has joined Andy Gould, with whom he co-authored a 2024 report into the player transition phase, in leaving the Scottish FA's youth strategy team. (The Herald), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson says missing out on Euro 2024 in Germany because of injury only adds to his determination to make the squad for this summer's World Cup.

Patterson, who has struggled with injuries over the years and featured inconsistently for club side Everton, has been recalled for the first time since last summer for Scotland's upcoming friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast.

The 24-year-old has made just seven appearances for the Toffees this term and hasn't played since a one-minute cameo against Brighton at the end of January.

But the former Rangers defender insists he is fully fit and focused on being part of Scotland's first World Cup in 28 years.

"The disappointment to not be a part of the Euros squad and miss out through injury was obviously hard to take," Patterson said.

"But we've got another huge tournament in the summer and I want to make sure I'm there.

"I would have loved to be there and been involved, but these things happen and my main aim is to make sure I'm in the squad at the World Cup.

"Whatever gets me there, I'll do that. I feel really fit. I don't feel as if I'm in a stage where I'm doubting my body at the minute, so I'm happy where I'm at.

"I think me and the manager have a good relationship. I know what I'm capable of and I know what I bring to the team."

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"Beast of an athlete" Scott McTominay has been praised for the way he has gone from Manchester United "scapegoat" to Napoli great.

Scotland assistant coach Steven Naismith revealed he had been impressed from the moment the 29-year-old midfielder joined the national squad.

"He's a beast of an athlete," he said. "He's big, he's strong, he's powerful. The pace he passed the ball with, he's got some real strength here.

"And then he just grows and grows. So he's played centre-half, he's played centre-mid, he's played as a forward. That tells you his knowledge and understanding of the game is top.

"But the biggest compliment I can give him is he has turned himself into the most professional athlete he can be.

"Undoubtedly, when he's was at Man United, he'll have fed off the best to see what that is, what you need to do, his dedication.

"When he was at Man U, he was a scapegoat at times. When he was at a club where they weren't at their best, he got the brunt of it at times.

"And then he was brave enough to move to another country and become a star. That is what he is. The mural [in Napoli] tells you everything. The way he lives his life is incredible."

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Steve Clarke's "brilliant relationship" with the Scottish FA will ensure uncertainty over the head coach's future will have no bearing on their World Cup preparations, assistant Steven Naismith insists.

Clarke's current contract ends after this summer's World Cup finals in the Americas.

But Naismith suggests both the 62-year-old and the governing body are "very relaxed" about his future.

"It's been a relationship that's been around for so long," the former Scotland forward said. "Everybody's comfortable with it.

"There'll be times that things move on. That is where it is. But, at the moment, we should just enjoy what we have. We're going to the World Cup and I think no doubt things will get sorted.

"I think it will be sorted out one way or another. It's very relaxed, because they've been in a relationship for six years, seven years, whatever that is.

"At every point, I think, when the manager's tried to improve things, the SFA have gone with them and vice versa. So there is a relationship, it's a brilliant relationship."

Meanwhile, Naismith says Clarke's "burning desire" is to be the first Scotland boss to progress his side beyond the group stage at a major finals.

"That's not just blind hope," he suggested. "That's looking at a squad of players that are in their prime, that have done everything for this country. And he really believes it.

"We've got tough opposition, but you're going to a World Cup, you're always going to have tough opposition.

"It's going to be tough, but there is a real belief that we can get through this."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland Under-21 manager Scott Gemmill believes there is "real optimism" that several of his players can make the step up to Steve Clarke's senior squad in the near future.

Winger Findlay Curtis, currently on loan to Kilmarnock from Rangers, is the latest to make the jump to the full international set-up, but Gemmill says others are pushing hard for recognition, including in-form Falkirk striker Barney Stewart.

Gemmill believes the gap between youth and senior international football is closing.

"I think there definitely is real optimism if you look at how many of the under-21 players are moving forward to the men's A team," he said.

"Historically, that has happened, but the gap between the levels seems to be shortening.

"In the past, you might have had to wait for an opportunity - now it can happen with a phone call. Steve has shown he's ready to give young players that opportunity."

Stewart's rise has been particularly notable. Just 18 months ago, he was playing for Edinburgh University while studying sports science but is now Falkirk's top scorer in the Scottish Premiership.

"It's an indication of how well his club have done to identify and recruit him - and how well he has taken that opportunity," Gemmill added.

"You can talk about potential, but you never really know until players are given the chance. To perform consistently at that level, he deserves a lot of credit.

"It's about continuous improvement - and he's shown that, along with the right mentality and attitude."

Gemmill's side sit third in their in their Euro 2027 qualifying group, level on poins with Friday's visitors to Tannadice, the Czech Republic, before travelling to face group leaders Portugal next Tuesday.