Steve Clarke has defended including 43‑year‑old Craig Gordon in Scotland’s 26‑man World Cup squad despite the veteran goalkeeper missing much of Hearts’ season through injury. Gordon made just three appearances for Hearts this campaign but, Clarke said, has been monitored closely, is reported fit by his club and “deserves to go” after contributing to the qualifying campaign.
Also selected despite limited club minutes are Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest) and Rangers’ Liam Kelly. Clarke acknowledged the challenge of picking goalkeepers who have not played regularly but stressed that strong training performances and squad presence matter. He described Kelly as a trusted third goalkeeper whose character and work rate benefit the group. Clarke added that if Gordon were to struggle with fitness during the tournament, there is the option to replace him, and he plans to bring a young goalkeeper into camp as an extra training option to ease load on the three selected keepers.
Young midfielder Finlay Curtis (19) earns a place after making his Scotland debut against Japan in March and enjoying a productive loan spell at Kilmarnock, where he scored five goals after leaving Rangers in January. Clarke said Curtis offered “something a little bit different,” fitted into the camp well and had finished the season strongly.
Southampton striker Ross Stewart returns to the squad after hitting a rich vein of form from January onwards. Clarke pointed to big‑game contributions — including an influential Cup display against Arsenal — and said Stewart has proven he can score important goals, even off the bench. Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland, who finished as Scotland’s most prolific striker this season with 20 goals, leads the attack alongside Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes and George Hirst. Clarke expressed confidence in Shankland’s ability to recover from the disappointment of Hearts’ title decider and make an impact for Scotland.
Clarke’s selections reflect a blend of experience, recent form and squad balance: senior players who helped in qualification, in‑form forwards, and a young midfielder with potential to develop at a major tournament.
Scotland’s World Cup squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Liam Kelly (Rangers).
Defenders: Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al Etiffaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Dom Hyam (Wrexham), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Everton), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers), Kieran Tierney (Celtic).
Midfielders: Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Finlay Curtis (Kilmarnock), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon‑Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich), Scott McTominay (Napoli).
Forwards: Che Adams (Torino), Lyndon Dykes (Charlton Athletic), George Hirst (Ipswich), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts), Ross Stewart (Southampton).
Where and when Scotland play (UK times):
– Haiti v Scotland — June 14, Boston, 02:00 BST
– Scotland v Morocco — June 19, Boston, 23:00 BST
– Scotland v Brazil — June 24, Miami, 23:00 BST
The 2026 World Cup takes place across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Clarke hopes the squad’s mix of experience, current form and youth will give Scotland the best chance of performing on football’s biggest stage.