Scotland name World Cup squad: Ross Stewart returns, Craig Gordon included

Scotland qualified for the World Cup in dramatic fashion. Stu Forster/Getty Images Share articleSteve Clarke has named his 26-man Scotland squad for the 2026 World Cup as the men’s team prepares to make their first appearance at the tournament in 28 years. Southampton forward Ross Stewart returns to the national team for the first time in four years after scoring 11 goals in 33 appearances for his club this season. Stewart, 29, has been capped twice by Scotland, with his last appearance coming back in 2022. Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon, 43, has also been selected. Gordon started November’s key qualifiers against Greece and Denmark, but has been sidelined since February with a shoulder injury. Kilmarnock midfielder Findlay Curtis, 19, makes the cut, having made his senior international debut in March. Curtis joined Kilmarnock on loan from Rangers in January and scored five times in 14 league appearances. Udinese midfielder Lennon Miller, 19, misses out. Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson will captain the side while Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay and Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn, key figures in qualification, are, as expected, among the 26. Scotland have been drawn alongside Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in Group C. Scotland face Curacao at home on May 30 before flying out for their pre-tournament training camp in Florida. They then head to New Jersey for a final tune-up against Bolivia on June 6. The team’s training base for the duration of the tournament will be in Charlotte, North Carolina. Craig Gordon, 43, could become the second-oldest player to ever feature at a World Cup. Findlay Curtis at 19 is the youngest inclusion. Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Hearts), Angus Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Liam Kelly (Rangers) Defenders: Grant Hanley (Hibernian), Jack Hendry (Al Ettifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Dominic 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), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Ben Gannon-Doak (Bournemouth), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Scott McTominay (Napoli) Forwards: Che Adams (Torino), Lyndon Dykes (Birmingham City), George Hirst (Ipswich Town), Lawrence Shankland (Hearts), Ross Stewart (Southampton) The biggest surprise is the inclusion of Southampton Ross Stewart, who has 11 goals in 33 games this season. His second, and most recent, cap came in June 2022 as he has struggled with injury in recent years. He was not included in the March squad and the injury to Middlesbrough forward Tommy Conway opened up a space but his good form down the home stretch helped seal his place. Stewart is one of five strikers named, which may signal a move towards a 3-5-2 system. Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes are two of his long-term picks but George Hirst and Lawrence Shankland were selected ahead of Oli McBurnie and Kieron Bowie, who has four Serie A goals since joining Verona in January. The big boost for Steve Clare is that he has been able to name both Aaron Hickey and Ben Gannon-Doak, key players who have only recently returned from long-term injuries at Brentford and Bournemouth. Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon, who at 43 could become the second-oldest player to ever feature at a World Cup, is also included as one of the three goalkeepers despite being injured since the turn of the year. The contentious omission is Udinese midfielder Lennon Miller, who was not given a single minute in the two March friendlies. There is space for 19-year-old Rangers winger Findlay Curtis, who has impressed on loan at Kilmarnock. He was given his first taste two months ago and is the wildcard of the group. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms