Ross Stewart has been named in Scotland's World Cup squad, a surprise inclusion for a striker who had only two prior international caps and has spent much of the past few years fighting to get fit. Steve Clarke has turned to the Southampton forward to give Scotland a different kind of option as they head to their first World Cup in 28 years.
The pick matters because Scotland need more than sentiment to get through a group with Brazil, Morocco and Haiti. They have not won a game at a major tournament since 1996, and their attack at the 2024 Euros produced only two goals, one from Scott McTominay and one own goal by Germany's Antonio Rudiger. By contrast, they scored 13 times in six qualifying games, and Clarke is clearly betting that Stewart can help carry some of that edge onto the biggest stage.
That faith rests on a player whose path has never followed a straight line. Stewart began in the Scottish Junior Leagues, was scouted for senior football in 2016 and signed for Albion Rovers after his father and supporters club members helped pay his £1,500 transfer fee. He later joined League One Sunderland in January 2021, scored 26 goals after his bedding-in period, and then hit 10 in 13 Championship games before injury stopped him again. Southampton paid £12 million for him in 2023, and the move now looks like a wager on what he can do when his body holds together.
He has finally given Scotland a reason to take that gamble. After returning to full fitness and form in 2026, Stewart had scored 11 goals and added two assists in all competitions after breaking back into the side in January. At six feet and two inches, he brings aerial power, hold-up play and speed despite the frame, with five of his 12 Southampton goals coming with his head and 11 of his 40 Sunderland goals also scored that way. He is likely to be used off the bench late in games, where his ability to pin defenders and let Scott McTominay and John McGinn play off him high up the pitch may matter most.
The unresolved question is how much Scotland will actually get from him in the weeks ahead. Stewart's injuries have long been the main reason his international career has stayed so short, and a player nicknamed 'Lochness Drogba' is being asked to deliver in a tournament where Scotland will need every ounce of physical presence they can find. If Clarke is right, the surprise choice may become the one selection that gives Scotland a better chance of finally changing the story of their summers.
