Scotland begin World Cup campaign against Haiti at Boston Stadium on Saturday
Key man Scott McTominay fit and available after stomach bug scare
Scots have qualified for global finals for first time since 1998
The wave of hysteria surrounding Scotland’s return threatened to be tempered when news broke that Scott McTominay was struggling with illness ahead of their opening game.
An upset stomach meant he travelled separately from his team-mates to Boston – where will face Haiti on Saturday – to reduce the possibility of the bug spreading. The sight of McTominay in full training with the team on Friday, then, represented a huge relief to the legions of Scottish fans who have made the trip to the United States and the millions more supporting from home.
The Napoli star has become the face of this Scotland generation, with his goalscoring heroics helping propel his country to their first World Cup since France 1998.
McTominay’s spectacular overhead kick in the Scots’ unforgettable, and decisive, qualifying win over Denmark is arguably the greatest goal in the nation’s football history. A stunning mural of McTominay – in mid-air rising to connect with his jaw-dropping acrobatic strike – has even been unveiled in Glasgow.
When asked about the 29-year-old’s condition on the eve of Saturday’s clash with Haiti, coach Steve Clarke said he was “perfect” and “ready to go”. As well as being music to the ears of every Scotland fan, the talisman’s availability has only enhanced the positivity coursing through Clarke’s squad.
"I think Scottie just wanted a bit of attention!" joked captain Andy Robertson. "No, thankfully he's okay and he's trained today [Friday].
"I can't speak highly enough of him. He’s a fantastic player and he’s just got better and better. He’s really grown into the position he's in and the expectation people have on him. He’s a really good character. He’s another one of those leaders in the changing room who has helped me massively. Hopefully he's got a few more big moments to come for Scotland.”
Robertson is perfectly placed to discuss McTominay’s growth, having been a near-constant in the Scotland squad ever since the former Manchester United player made his national team debut in 2018. While McTominay is now recognised as a proven match-winner – in his two seasons with Napoli he has scored 27 goals and provided ten assists – he was deployed at centre-back for most of his first four years with Scotland.
His development, Robertson explained, is testament to his unwavering commitment and dedication.
“Scott’s unbelievable,” said Robertson. “When he came in [to the senior Scotland squad] he was playing centre-back for us, which probably seems ridiculous now. But he did a really good job, he did a really good job playing at number six, he can also play eight, he can play at ten. He’s shown his versatility. “Obviously, he made the tough decision to leave Man United, which is never an easy decision, but he's went over to Italy and just became the best player in the league. He leaves no stone unturned and that's credit to him and his qualities. Scott's mentality is right up there.”
While recognising McTominay’s value to the team, coach Clarke was eager to underline the strength of the collective.
"I've got 26 superstars here," he said. "We've built everything we've done over the last seven years on the squad, the team, everyone being together and playing their part at certain times. We are delighted with Scott's abilities and what he can bring to the team. But we are going to need another 15 [players] to bring the same if we want to have a positive tournament."
On the challenge his team will face against Haiti, Clarke added: “They have very dynamic players, especially the attacking players, so we have to be careful. They have qualities that can cause us problems on the pitch, so we have to deal with those problems, and then try to bring our best game to the pitch when we have the ball. If we can do that, hopefully that's enough to win the game.”
Scotland’s ‘Tartan Army’ has travelled in force to Boston for their first World Cup match in 28 years – and included in that group are several members of the Clarke family.
“There's a big clan here! I've got my wife, my three children, and my five grandchildren here. My two daughters-in-law, too. It's going to be great. Not many people get the chance to take their country to a World Cup. I'm going to try and enjoy it. Obviously, the game will dictate that a little bit.”
Scotland captain Robertson added: “We have the best fanbase in the world. We know how excited they are. It’s up to us to give them a good time. We know they will anyway, but we want to give them a better time."
Sources: FIFA Official
