Scotland Pick Gordon, Curtis and Stewart for World Cup Squad

Steve Clarke has named Scotland's 26-man squad for World Cup 2026, with Craig Gordon, Findlay Curtis, and Ross Stewart giving the announcement its strongest talking points.

Gordon's inclusion stands out because the Hearts goalkeeper is 43 and brings the kind of tournament experience Scotland cannot manufacture. Clarke also selected Angus Gunn and Liam Kelly, which gives Scotland three goalkeepers with different career paths and different match-readiness profiles.

Curtis gives the squad a younger edge. The 19-year-old attacker earned his place after an impressive loan spell at Kilmarnock from Rangers, and his selection shows Clarke was willing to reward late-season form rather than keep every attacking slot for older options.

Stewart's return adds another layer. The Southampton striker had not been part of the Scotland squad since 2022, but his end-of-season form pushed him back into the national picture. Scotland now have a forward group that can change the type of game Clarke wants to play.

Scott McTominay remains central to Scotland's midfield plan. His scoring from midfield, box arrivals, and physical duels give Clarke a way to attack without turning the team into a pure crossing side. John McGinn, Billy Gilmour, Lewis Ferguson, Ryan Christie, and Kenny McLean give the midfield more tournament experience around him.

Scotland enter Group C with Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti. That draw leaves little room for a passive tournament. Brazil can punish turnovers, Morocco can control long spells through structure, and Haiti bring pace that can stretch a back line. Scotland's squad choices suggest Clarke wants flexibility rather than one fixed match script.

The bigger story is Scotland's return to the World Cup stage after a long absence. Clarke has trusted a core that understands his system while adding enough freshness to avoid a stale squad. Curtis and Stewart give him bench options that can change tempo, while Gordon gives the dressing room a veteran voice.

Supporters will now watch the final preparation period for fitness and role clarity. The squad is settled, but the starting goalkeeper choice, the forward balance, and the wide attacking roles still matter before Scotland begin one of the hardest groups in the tournament.

Gordon's selection also gives Clarke insurance in a tournament where goalkeeper calm can change a group. He may not be the long-term future, but he has seen enough international football to help the staff manage training standards and dressing-room pressure around a squad returning to this stage.

Curtis brings the opposite profile. He gives Scotland a player opponents may not have studied in the same detail as Robertson, McTominay, or McGinn. Young attackers can sometimes change a tournament because they play with direct habits and less history against elite defenders.

Stewart's return matters because Scotland need more than one attacking pattern. If the team spend long spells defending, a forward who can hold the ball, attack crosses, and compete physically gives Clarke a route out of pressure. That profile can matter late in games against Brazil or Morocco.

The squad is not built for fantasy football. It is built for managed risk, set-piece threat, defensive organization, and midfield work rate. Scotland's chance of advancing depends on turning those strengths into points before the group table forces them into a chase.

Clarke's selection also leaves a clear message for players who missed out. He has chosen trust, role fit, and recent impact over noise around the announcement. That approach has defined his Scotland tenure, and it will now be tested against three opponents with different ways to hurt them. Set pieces may become a route to points.

Read Also: Switzerland's Xhaka-led squad shows how another European qualifier is balancing experience and fitness risk.