George Hirst was on a golf course in Portugal when Scotland's World Cup squad text came through, and the 27-year-old said he knew he had made the cut 45 minutes before the rest of the world found out. He was mid-round with a couple of mates, lining up a putt for birdie, when the moment flipped in an instant and he finished with a double bogey instead.
For Hirst, the selection was more than a call-up. He said it was a dream as a kid to go to a World Cup, and he spoke with the kind of relief that comes only after a long wait and a few doubts. In March, he had honest conversations with Steve Clarke about where he stood, and he knew there was every chance he could be left out despite the form that had carried him through the end of the season.
He went into that conversation with something to show. Hirst scored 11 goals as Ipswich finished second in the Championship and won promotion back to the Premier League, starting 25 league games and coming off the bench 17 times. That late surge helped convince Clarke to take him, and Hirst said he will be forever grateful for the chance to be part of Scotland's first World Cup squad in 28 years.
Since making his Scotland debut last year, Hirst has one goal in eight appearances. That record does not scream certainty, but it does underline why his place matters: Scotland have chosen five forwards for the tournament, with Che Adams, Lyndon Dykes, Lawrence Shankland and Ross Stewart joining him in a line that gives Clarke different options. Hirst said he brings pace and height, and he believes the group covers just about every kind of game Scotland might face.
The friction is not whether he belongs in the squad now. It is how much he will play once the tournament begins. Hirst was clear that he is ready to be called upon for one minute or 90, and he knows the competition for minutes will be fierce. He has already started his preparation, including hot pod yoga to help him cope with the heat, though he admitted he is not a huge fan of it.
What comes next is simpler and harder at the same time: train well, make an impression in the friendlies, and give Clarke a reason to trust him when Scotland finally step onto the World Cup stage again. For a striker who thought there was a world in which he missed out, even being on the plane is the reward. The question now is whether he can turn that surprise call-up into a role that matters once the matches start.
