Scotland Men's Football Team

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Steve Clarke wants Andy Robertson to have the "best night of his life" against Brazil on Wednesday, with the Scotland captain in the mood to "achieve history".

With three points from a win over Haiti and a defeat to Morocco, Scotland go into their final Group C match looking to avoid defeat which would all but guarantee a place in the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time.

With Robertson, 32, set to win his 97th cap in Miami, head coach Clarke said: "He's been a fantastic captain for Scotland. He's closing in on the record [Kenny Dalglish on 102]. He deserves to be here. He's worked ever so hard for the country.

"He leads this group of players like the leader he is and he's very, very important to me and the squad. So obviously I want the best for him. I want him to have the best night of his life."

Robertson, who will join Tottenham Hotspur after the tournament, is looking forward to the challenge of facing the five-time winners.

"We are playing against a massive country, the most iconic in World Cups, obviously most decorated," he said.

"But it also gives us an opportunity to achieve our dreams as well. We want to achieve history for our little country."

Robertson believes Scotland will be up against the "best keeper in the world" in former Liverpool team-mate Alisson Becker.

"I was very lucky to play with Ali for the last eight years and in big moments Ali was always there for us," he said.

"Even when our defence was at its best sometimes teams would get through and we would always rely on Ali to go and make the saves.

"Unbelievable goalkeeper, an even better person.

"Someone that I admire so much, he and his family, I'm really lucky to be close to them and they're fantastic people.

"I hope he's picking the ball out of the net maybe a couple of times tomorrow, more usual than I'm used to, but he's the best keeper in the world for me and he has been for so many years."

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter in Miami

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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has been addressing the media on the eve of the crucial World Cup Group C match against Brazil in Miami.

Here are the key points.

• Clarke confirmed that Aaron Hickey is not fit for the match, but everyone else in the squad is available.

• Asked about the prospect of facing Mexico in Mexico City in the last 32, Clarke said: "First of all we have to get there. I'd love to go back to the Azteca Stadium because played there in the U-19 World Cup way back many, many years ago when I was young, fit, healthy footballer and I managed to score a goal. Scotland beat Mexico 1-0, so if it does happen, we'll have a repeat."

• On what formation he might adopt against Brazil and if it will be a conservative system, he said: "I've got the Scottish media here and they kill me for being too conservative. I think we've shown in my time in charge, whether some people agree or not, that we can be very flexible with our system. For the game tomorrow, we'll have to wait and see because I don't want to tell Carlo [Ancelotti] what we'll do."

• Clarke says Brazil will be true to their attacking DNA and expects them to go far in this World Cup. "I think the characteristics of Brazil as a national team is they have to attack," he said. "These are the characteristics that people expect from a Brazil team. I think they've shown in the matches so far in this tournament that they can be a big threat, and I'm sure they expect to be minimum last four in the competition."

• Facing Brazil in a huge World Cup match represents a proud personal moment for Clarke. "First memories of the World Cup for me were probably the 1970 Brazil team, they were absolutely fantastic," he recalled. "They were great to see for a young boy growing up, and you grow up with that love of Brazil. But tomorrow night, we have to not love Brazil and love Scotland more."

• Asked what he must do to set his team up to be more of an attacking threat than they were against Morocco, Clarke replied: "Pick the right team, get the right tactics, and rely on the players to do that on the pitch. We know what we have to do - don't over-commit going forward, don't leave yourself open to a counter-attack. And when we have the ball, use the it really well and create chances."

• Clarke says his team have measures in place to deal with any weather disruptions to the game, as happened in the France v Iraq match on Monday. "We have a strategy in mind on how to deal with it," he explained. "Obviously, you don't know how long the delay is going to be. They're always doing it off the last lightning strike, you've got to wait 30 minutes off the last lightning strike, so that can just roll on and roll on. If there is to be a delay, then hopefully it will be a short one. We've got a coping strategy and we have an idea of what we'll do if it happens to us"

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Scotland could afford to play four at the back against Brazil on Wednesday if they had "two Jack Hendrys", suggests football analyst and coach John Walker.

The fact they don't means they should play a five-man defence in their final Group C game at the World Cup.

"Jack Hendry's one of those defenders that I think people just keep sleeping on because we've not seen him since he was at Celtic really," Walker told the BBC Scottish Football Podcast. "We don't watch the Saudi league [where he plays for Al-Ettifaq]. We definitely didn't watch a lot of him in Belgium.

"Jack Hendry's really impressed me. If we had another Jack Hendry, I'd be more confident you could play a back four. You could play a high line because he's got a bit of speed behind him. He's very good on the ball.

"Him in that back four, he's really stood out as being somebody that can do bits of everything in defending."

Because "we still don't have world-class centre-halves", it limits Scotland's ability to be "expansive" as then "you've opened up Grant Hanley to high lines and counter-attacks - and that's not his strength either".

Indeed, Walker would go for John Souttar or Scott McKenna to partner Hendry and Kieran Tierney in central defence, with Aaron Hickey, if fit, and Andy Robertson as wing-backs.

He points out that Brazil scored against Haiti with balls in behind, while Morocco did likewise against Scotland.

"I just don't think we have the the capability and players," Walker added. "We've got one or two, but I don't think we can go play a high line and not be exposed.

"I don't think we can go press high and not be exposed. I don't think we've got the pace to then overturn Brazilian transition either."

Scotland striker Che Adams is one of Venezia's targets this summer, but Torino want more than the £3.5m being offered by their Serie A rivals for the 29-year-old. (Sky Sports), external

Sheffield Wednesday are considering re-signing Scotland-capped forward Callum Paterson after the 31-year-old's successful season with MK Dons. (The Wednesday Word), external

Former Scotland centre-half Declan Gallagher, released by Ross County, former Ayr United striker Curtis Main, defender Ewan Otoo, who left Dunfermline Athletic, and former Greenock Morton winger Owen Moffat are among the out-of-contract players attending the first summer pre-season training camp run by the Scottish players' union. (The Courier), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Calum Macdonald

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Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland says he is ready to play whatever role head coach Steve Clarke asks of him against Brazil in Miami on Wednesday.

"No matter where I'm asked to play, I'll be ready and that's the same for the whole squad," said the recent Rangers signing.

"The manager will have his views on everybody. He has a large group of players to pick from out there.

"I'll leave that side of things up to him. All I'll do is train well and try give myself the best opportunity. Coming off the bench is something I am quite familiar with."

Shankland has scored 10 goals in his past 12 games for club and country but did not feature in the 1-0 loss to Morocco.

Scotland did not have an effort on target in Friday's game, while they managed just two in the opening 1-0 victory over Haiti.

"I'm craving more than one chance to be honest," said the former Hearts captain. "Hopefully we'll have a few."

A point should be enough to see Scotland progress from the group phase at a major tournament for the first time, but the 30-year-old is well aware of the problems Brazil will pose.

"It will be a tough challenge, they have a quality squad and good team," he added. "We will need to be at our best to get something out of it.

"When you think of a World Cup, for me, Brazil are one of the first teams that come to your mind. The first team I remember watching."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Aaron Hickey was again missing for Scotland's final training session at their Charlotte base before Wednesday's final Group C game against Brazil.

The Brentford right-back played 75 minutes off the opening 1-0 win over Haiti but did not feature in the 1-0 defeat by Morocco on Friday at the Boston Stadium.

Defender Scott McKenna and midfielder Lewis Ferguson, who were doing individual work on Sunday, returned to training in North Carolina before the Scotland squad flew to Miami.

McKenna has been managing a calf complaint and has yet to get on the pitch, while Ferguson rested after playing the whole game against the African champions.

Training will resume in Fort Lauderdale and will include sauna sessions to help cope with Florida's heat and humidity.

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Scotland are preparing for a fifth World Cup meeting with Brazil in Miami on Wednesday.

Let's take a look at what happened in those previous matches...

1974: Scotland 0-0 Brazil

Having been under the cosh in the first half in Frankfurt, Scotland gave the reigning champions a real fright after the break.

Davie Hay, Peter Lorimer and Joe Jordan threatened and Billy Bremner came agonisingly close when a rebound off his shin rolled inches wide.

Both nations finished the group stage undefeated, but Scotland were eliminated on goal difference, while Brazil lost the third place game to Poland after defeat to beaten finalists Netherlands in the second group phase.

1982: Scotland 1-4 Brazil

Dave Narey's stunning strike from the edge of the penalty area gave Scotland a shock lead on 18 minutes.

However, a slick Brazil side hit back in style in Seville with Zico equalising from a fantastic free-kick.

A front-post header from Oscar made it 2-1, before Eder bamboozled Alan Rough with a sublime chip.

Falcao completed the scoring with a raking shot from 25 yards.

Scotland would go on to face more World Cup heartache, again exiting at the group stage on goal difference. Brazil fell at the second group stage, losing an all-time classic 3-2 against eventual winners Italy.

1990: Scotland 0-1 Brazil

A low key contest in Turin was settled on 81 minutes when Muller forced the ball in from a tight angle after a Jim Leighton fumble.

Scotland needed a point to progress and nearly got it in the closing stages but Claudio Taffarel produced a brilliant point-blank stop from Maurice Johnston.

Later results elsewhere deprived Scotland of progress as one of the best third-placed teams. Brazil were edged out by Argentina in the last 16.

1998: Scotland 1-2 Brazil

In what was the tournament's opening match in Paris, Brazil struck early with a Cesar Sampaio header from a corner.

Scotland were level before the break thanks to a cool John Collins penalty after a trip on Kevin Gallacher.

But Craig Brown's side lost out in cruel circumstances when Cafu's shot was saved by Leighton, only for the ball to strike the chest of Tom Boyd and creep over the line.

Scotland once again failed at the group stage after a draw with Norway and a 3-0 defeat to Morocco as Brazil lost to France in the final.