Five Big Selection Questions Facing Steve Clarke as Scotland Prepare for 2026 World Cup
Scotland are at a World Cup for the first time since 1998, and the excitement around Steve Clarke's squad has been building for months. But with the tournament now imminent, a series of key selection decisions could define how far the Scots go — and how they're remembered. Here are the five biggest questions Clarke must answer before Scotland's opening fixture.
1. Who Fills the Gilmour Void in Midfield?
The injury-enforced absence of Billy Gilmour is Scotland's single most significant personnel blow. He is a unique player in their squad — a midfielder who can receive under pressure, drive forward, and control tempo in a way none of his rivals entirely replicate. Clarke has options: Ryan Christie, Callum McGregor, and Scott McTominay are all candidates, but the balance of the midfield will need careful thought. The question is whether Clarke builds a more compact, defensive unit or tries to replace Gilmour's technical qualities with another creative player.
2. Does McTominay Play Deep or Free?
Scott McTominay is Scotland's most physically imposing and arguably most impactful midfielder. His performances for both Manchester United and Scotland in recent years have been consistently excellent. The question Clarke faces is whether to deploy him as a deep-lying player to provide protection, or to free him to arrive late into the box — which is where he has scored crucial goals. Getting McTominay in the right role could be the difference between Scotland being organised but limited or genuinely threatening.
3. Who Starts on the Right Wing?
Scotland's right-side attacking options present Clarke with a genuine selection dilemma. Ryan Fraser — when fit and in form — offers pace and direct running. But there are other candidates, and with Gilmour absent, the creative burden on Scotland's wide players increases significantly. The choice Clarke makes here will go a long way to determining how much Scotland threaten teams going forward.
4. Is Lawrence Shankland the Undisputed Starter Up Front?
Lawrence Shankland has been among the most prolific goal scorers in Scottish football over the past two seasons, and his recent move to Rangers on a free from Hearts underlines just how highly he is rated domestically. But international football presents very different demands, and Clarke will have to decide whether Shankland — primarily a centre-forward in a traditional mould — fits best in the system he wants to play, or whether a more mobile option suits the team's needs better at this level.
5. What System Does Scotland Play?
Perhaps the biggest question of all. Clarke has typically favoured a pragmatic 3-5-2 or 4-3-3 depending on personnel, but at a World Cup, with opponents of varying quality and style, tactical flexibility will be essential. Scotland cannot afford to be predictable. How Clarke sets up his team structurally — and whether he has the courage to adapt that structure during games — may ultimately prove more important than any individual selection call.
Final Thoughts
Scotland have earned the right to be at this World Cup, and Clarke deserves enormous credit for guiding them there. The questions above are not criticisms — they're the natural complexities that come with tournament football. How Clarke answers them will tell us a great deal about just how far this Scotland generation can go.
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