Scotland begin their Nations League campaign against Poland at Hampden Park with the Tartan Army eager for improvement following a disappointing European Championship. A draw with Switzerland was sandwiched by defeats against host nation Germany and Hungary in June as the Scots exited Euro 2024 in meek fashion.
Having earned promotion to Nations League A in 2022, Steve Clarke is looking to cement Scotland’s place among some of the elite countries in European football. That starts against the Poles, followed by a trip to Portugal on Sunday. Croatia are also in the section and all three sides will ensure a stern test of our national team’s capabilities over the next three months.
Finishing first or second in the Nations League section would earn Scotland a Pot 1 seeding for the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. That might seem a tall order after the Euros but it is not beyond the realms of possibility.
Clarke must first decide whether to stick with the three-man defensive system which failed during the summer or switch to a back four. With Kieran Tierney missing, there is scope to deploy two centre-backs and be more adventurous further forward. Our predicted line-up shows some changes and a new face in the starting XI:
