Scotland Men's Football Team

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Bristol City want to sign Ipswich defender Harry Clarke.

New Robins boss Michael Skubala is looking to bring the right-back to Ashton Gate with doubts over Ross McCrorie's future.

Scotland international McCrorie - who has interest in the Championship and Europe - has 12 months left on his contract and is yet to sign a new deal, with City wary of losing him for free.

Bristol City were in a similar situation with Zak Vyner and Anis Mehmeti last summer, before accepting cut-price fees for the pair in the winter window and they joined Wrexham and Ipswich respectively.

Clarke, 25, spent the second half of last season on loan at Charlton, making 19 appearances, having previously been on loan at Sheffield United in 2024-25.

He joined the Tractor Boys from Arsenal in January 2023 and has played 67 times for the club, scoring once.

Clarke made 39 appearances in all competitions when Ipswich were promoted to the Premier League in 2023-24 and also helped them up from League One the season before.

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Andy Halliday believes Scotland can "go far" in the World Cup if they can get "10% more" from the squad.

The Scots sit on one win and one defeat so far and face Brazil on Wednesday (23: BST).

"If we just get that 10% more out of the group and that's all it is for me, I think we can go deep in this tournament," former Hearts, Motherwell and Rangers midfielder Halliday told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"You can get yourself in a real twist looking at the probabilities of what it takes to go through and who we've got in the last 32 and in last 16. But when I'm looking at some of the teams that we could potentially get if we go through, there's absolutely nothing to suggest we can't go far in this tournament.

"The last time I checked, the probability in the last 32 was either Mexico or Sweden. Mexico will be extremely difficult, especially in the Azteca with the altitude and the heat there.

"But if we play Sweden in last 32, who just lost 5-1 to Holland who finished bottom in their qualifying group, and then the potential of last 16 are South Korea or Switzerland.

"I'm saying that if we play better... we've got a chance against Sweden."

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Scott Allan believes Ben Gannon-Doak's role in Scotland's final World Cup Group C fixture with Brazil is "the main topic" in how the Scots prepare.

The winger started the win against Haiti, playing a role in the winning goal, and came off the bench in the loss to Morocco.

"I feel like when we land on the ball, we never really know what the next pass is," former Celtic and Hibernian midfielder Allan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"A lot of that comes down to how your structure is to maybe find your best players in attacking positions. The main topic will be Ben Gannon-Doak. Steve Clarke probably looks at that and goes, 'pulled cramping on about 65, 70 minutes against Haiti, can we stay in the game up until the last 30 minutes and then unleash Ben Gannon-Doak?'

"We've got more energy and more enthusiasm in the middle of the park than Brazil have and that is a route where we have to try and exploit.

"They aren't free-flowing like we've seen from Brazil. If we can get that real energy out of possession and then be so much better on the ball and a bit braver, and a lot of that on this game for me lands on the players being a bit braver and wanting to take a bit of risk."

Allan believes it is "incredible" the Scots could lose two group games and still progress to the knockout stages.

And Allan identified the main threat to Scotland in Miami.

"Vinicius Jr is the man you have to stop and that's why that's an area of the park where you think you'd expect real pressure to be on the ball," Allan explained.

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Brazil playmaker Lucas Paqueta says he has "great respect" for Scotland before the decisive meeting of the teams in Miami on Wednesday.

The five-time world champions sit top of Group C after following up their 1-1 draw with Morocco by beating Haiti 3-0.

Former West Ham United midfielder Paqueta insists there will be no danger of complacency from him when the sides meet.

"All the teams at the World Cup deserve respect," he said. "You have to study them and prepare as best as possible to face them.

"We have great respect for Scotland but we also know we need to play our game and follow what the coach asks of us.

"Regardless of the opponent, our goal in every match is to win."

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Brazil's squad have been left saddened by an injury to Barcelona forward Raphinha but are ready to welcome back fit-again legend Neymar in his place, according to midfielder Lucas Paqueta.

Neymar did not feature in their opening group games against Morocco and Haiti, but with Raphinha ruled out with a hamstring injury, the 34-year-old Santos forward could make his first appearance for his country since October 2023 against Scotland.

"We're all very happy to see him training and back on the pitch with us," former West Ham United midfielder Paqueta said.

"Neymar is a very important player for the Brazilian national team. He has an extraordinary history with this shirt and he can still help us a lot.

"We hope he'll be available as soon as possible to contribute to the team."

Raphinha's season with Barcelona was regularly impacted by problems with his right hamstring and he has missed a total of 24 matches for club and country since the campaign began.

A starter in both of Brazil's games so far, he was replaced with young Bournemouth forward Rayan when he came off late in the opening half against the Haitians.

Brazil say Raphinha will undergo "intensive treatment" with the aim of being back in time for a possible game in the last 16 in early July.

"We are all sad, especially Rafa, because of the little setback with this injury, but he can count on all of us for support," Flamengo midfielder Paqueta said.

"We all know his characteristics, his qualities, his pace, his ability to create space and his finishing ability, so I think we are losing a very important player."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter, in Charlotte, North Carolina

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Jack Hendry says he'll "look forward to" coming up against Neymar should Brazil's superstar forward make his first appearance of this World Cup on Wednesday - and the Scotland centre-half believes his previous experience of playing against him will stand him in good stead.

The Santos 34-year-old, who has scored 79 goals in 128 appearances for Brazil, has not played for the five-time champions at this tournament due to the calf injury, but head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed he is fit to play against Scotland in Miami on Wednesday.

And Al-Ettifaq 31-year-old Hendry insists he will be ready for the challenge.

"I'll have no problem," he said. "Obviously he was out in the league I was in. I'm quite comfortable coming up against Neymar. It should there be a really good battle and if he does play then I'll look forward to it.

"Obviously I think he got injured out in Saudi, he did get his ACL, which was unfortunate. I would have loved to have played against him more."

Hendry also faced Neymar while he was playing for Club Brugge in season.

"I played against him twice I think in the Champions League when he was at Paris Saint-Germain, so that was good test," he recalled.

"Obviously the front three at that time were with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. That's not a bad front three, so it was a good experience and l learn a lot from playing against those top-calibre players, so I look forward to it.

"You need to concentrate throughout the game playing against these calibre of players because, the second you switch off, they can punish you.

"Brazil have got an amazing history and we obviously want to disrupt that on Wednesday and I think, if there's a nation to play to get to the next round, we want to do it against these type of teams, so it's going to be a great spectacle."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland in Charlotte, North Carolina

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Steven Naismith promised Scotland "won't go gung-ho" against Brazil on Wednesday in their final World Cup Group C game.

The Scots conceded after 71 seconds against Morocco on matchday two and, although improved, they struggled to truly test the African champions until a spell of intense pressure in the closing stages.

And, while Scotland's assistant coach admitted the team ought to do more in front of goal, he emphasised the need for "shape and solidity".

"Brazil were 3-0 up before half-time against Haiti, so we won't be going gung-ho from minute one," Naismith said at the squad's base camp in Charlotte.

"The conditions, the opposition, it's impossible to do. There will be moments we need to sit in our shape and wait."

However, the former Scotland forward did say the squad "have the players who can cause Brazil problems" as they look to advance to the knock-out stage of a major championship for the first time.

"I think this squad deserve to be the first squad to get out the group," he added.

"I think we have the players who can do it, the manager who can do it.

"Going into the last game, we'll do what we need to do to get the result, which we came here to get."

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Scott McKenna, Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson did not take part in Scotland's group training on Sunday.

The trio instead did individual work at the Scots' base in Charlotte, North Carolina, as Steve Clarke's men prepare for their final World Cup Group C game against Brazil on Wednesday.

Right-back Hickey came off in the 1-0 win over Haiti and was absent for the 1-0 defeat by Morocco on Friday at the Boston stadium.

Centre-back McKenna has been managing a calf complaint and has yet to feature while midfielder Ferguson played the 90 minutes against the Afcon champions.

Kieran Tierney was taken off against Morocco in the second half with cramp but he trained with the rest of the squad on Sunday morning.

Scotland are guaranteed to finish in third place and a draw against Brazil in Miami would all but guarantee progress to the knockout stages for the first time, while a narrow defeat could also be enough.

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Scotland's strong midfield will be key to competing with Brazil on Wednesday, but the "sweltering afternoon heat" of Miami could mean a similar outcome to their 1982 meeting in Seville, fears South American football expert Tim Vickery.

The Scots took the lead in 44 years ago only to lose 4-1 but need to avoid a repeat if they are to progress to the knock-out stages for the first time.

Vickery expects Al-Ittihad's Fabinho to start alongside Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta instead of Manchester United's Casemiro, who is on a yellow card and in danger of suspension.

"But central midfield is not their best area," he said of the current Brazil side on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound. "Scotland are quite strong there and can compete.

"Can they do it for the full 90 minutes? Memories of that fine Scottish side in '82 that held Brazil 1-1 at half time but in the second half in the heat of Seville couldn't keep it up.

"I would be more optimistic for Scotland if it was in Boston rather in Miami in the sweltering afternoon heat."

Vickery says head coach Carlo Ancelotti sprung a surprise by selecting Brentford's Igor Thiago up front in their 1-1 group opener with Morocco, but that "meant that no-one was protecting Brazil's left-hand side, where they're not particularly strong defensively".

That changed with the introduction of Manchester United's Matheus Cunha as a substitute and from the start in the 3-0 win over Haiti.

"It would be a surprise to me if they don't repeat that, especially given the threat that at some point that [Scotland's Ben] Gannon-Doak offers to a team that doesn't defend particularly well down that side," Vickery said.

Meanwhile, veteran Santos forward Neymar "is now back in full training and they would like to give him some minutes, but I don't see how he can start as he has gone a month without playing".

The 3-0 win over Haiti "has been a boost to morale", but Vickery warned: "Had they won the first two games, maybe they would ease up against Scotland. That is not the case.

"They are still looking to find a blend and play themselves into the competition, so they will be looking to be on the upward curve."

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Ben Gannon-Doak might have to settle for being an impact substitute again in the final World Cup Group C game against Brazil on Wednesday, suggests former Scotland manager Craig Levein.

There have been calls to start the Bournemouth winger, as the 20-year-old did in the opening with over Haiti, after he made an impact as a substitute in the defeat by Morocco.

"The thing about Gannon-Doak for me is, starting him, I don't think [head coach] Steve [Clarke] is of a mind to start him and I can understand that," Levein told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.

"We all say as managers, keep it tight early and don't do anything silly and don't lose a goal and, when you do lose a goal like that [after 70 seconds against Morocco], it is a real punch in the stomach.

"To recover from that, not lose another goal, get into the second half and then bring on Gannon-Doak, when the opposition players start to get tired, he becomes even more influential.

"That, at this moment in time, is where he is going to be most useful."

Levein reckons the performance against Morocco "was a big improvement from the first match" against Haiti.

"I was worried about this match, because Morocco are on the up and I would argue they are probably a better side than Brazil at the moment," he said.

"It was a good defensive performance considering the game plan was ripped up after 70 seconds or so.

"I think a 1-0 defeat was a good result and that might prove to the be the case.

"If we can improve on that against Brazil, I think we can get a point out of that, which would be good enough I think to get us through."

Levein reckons "it might be football suicide" to "go gung ho" against Brazil.

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Scotland supporters' visit to Fenway Park was "one of the most moving things" witnessed at the famous baseball ground, says Boston Red Sox president Sam Kennedy.

A large gathering of the Tartan Army attended last week as the Red Sox lost to the Texas Rangers, with the Scotland fans in high spirits after the opening World Cup Group C win against Haiti.

The city of Boston welcomed thousands of travelling supporters for the Scots' opening two fixtures, with Steve Clarke's men finishing their group campaign in Miami against Brazil on Wednesday after losing to Morocco on Friday night.

In a letter to Scottish FA president Mike Mulraney and chief executive Ian Maxwell, Kennedy expressed thanks.

"Kilts and Scottish flags filled our ballpark with a spirit that has no equivalent in American sport," Kennedy wrote. "It was genuinely one of the most moving things we have witnessed at Fenway Park in a very long time.

"Throughout its 114-year history, Fenway Park has seen World Series championships, historic rivalries, and more than a few unforgettable nights.

"And yet on Sunday evening, a ballpark that is typically filled with a baseball crowed became, for a few hours, a meeting point between two sporting cultures. Our fans embraced your supporters without reservation.

"Scotland's return to the World Cup after 28 years deserves every bit of the enthusiasm your supporters brought to Boston. We are proud that Fenway Park could be part of this chapter in your celebration."

Brazil winger Raphinha, 29, is a doubt for Wednesday's World Cup meeting with Scotland. (Sun), external

Former Scotland striker Kenny Miller is poised to become Maccabi Tel Aviv head coach permanently after leading his side to an Israeli Cup final victory over Hapoel Beer Sheva as caretaker after Ronny Deila left. (Glasgow Times), external

Sunday's Scottish gossip