Kilmarnock winger Findlay Curtis, just 19, has received his first senior call-up to Steve Clarke's Scotland squad, a surprise inclusion for the upcoming World Cup warm-up friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast later this month.

Curtis Gets His Chance

The 19-year-old joined Kilmarnock in January after 26 appearances for Rangers, where he'd impressed in the first half of the season. It's a big moment for Curtis, who'll get his chance to impress Clarke ahead of the World Cup.

Scotland's lacking depth on the wings right now. Bournemouth's Ben Gannon-Doak, a key figure in Scotland's successful World Cup qualifying campaign, has only recently returned to his club squad after injury and has been left out to focus on regaining full fitness. That's opened the door for Curtis.

Scotland play Japan at Hampden on March 28, then head to Everton's training ground to face Ivory Coast on March 31. Clarke will use both games to assess his squad before the tournament kicks off.

Key Returns and Notable Absences

Several injured players are back in the squad alongside Curtis. Everton right-back Nathan Patterson, who missed Scotland's entire World Cup qualifying campaign in the autumn, is back in contention.

Patterson's return strengthens Scotland's defence.

Mastheads

Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour also rejoins the squad, having missed the last international camp due to injury. Scott McTominay and John McGinn are also back after returning to action for their clubs. Wrexham centre-back Dominic Hyam and Middlesbrough striker Tommy Conway have also earned recalls to an otherwise largely settled group.

But some players miss out. Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland misses out as he nears a return for his club, still recovering from injury. Brentford defender Aaron Hickey is also sidelined. Gannon-Doak's out despite his crucial role in qualifying - Clarke's being cautious with his hamstring injury from November.

Goalkeeping Concerns and Squad Depth

The goalkeeper situation's a bit unusual. Only Scott Bain at Falkirk is playing regularly. Angus Gunn, who started at Euro 2024, returns despite having played just 45 minutes for Nottingham Forest this season. He replaces the injured 43-year-old Craig Gordon. Rangers' Liam Kelly is included as a second-choice option, also not a regular starter for his club. Clarke will be watching how this affects his goalkeeping options.

The 26-man squad mixes veterans with young prospects. Defenders include Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Andy Robertson, and Kieran Tierney. The midfield boasts Lewis Ferguson, Ryan Christie, Kenny McLean, and Lennon Miller, alongside the returning Gilmour, McTominay, and McGinn. Up front, Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, and George Hirst join Conway and the newly called-up Curtis.

World Cup Preparations Intensify

These March friendlies kick off Scotland's World Cup preparations. Scotland haven't been to a men's World Cup in 28 years - they qualified with that 4-2 win over Denmark last November. That makes these preparations even more important.

Japan qualified first for the World Cup and won't be easy at Hampden. Ivory Coast reached the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals, so they'll be a proper test too. Both games will show Clarke how ready his squad is.

Scotland play Curacao at Hampden on May 30, then have another friendly in the USA to be confirmed. The team's Group C World Cup campaign will begin on June 14 against Haiti in Boston, followed by matches against Morocco on June 19, also in Boston, and a challenging encounter with Brazil on June 24 in Miami.

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Curtis's call-up shows Clarke's determined to assess every option before the World Cup.

This article was created with AI assistance.