Scotland v Belarus 2026 FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball Qualifier 12/10/2025. Group C Andy Robertson of Scotland during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier, Scotland vs Belarus, The National Stadium, Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, 12/10/2025. Hampden Park The National Stadium Glasgow Scotland Editorial use only , Copyright: xColinxPoultneyx PSI-23023-0087
Shankland wanted no lingering uncertainty over his club future before embarking on what he described as the greatest footballing experience of his life.
The striker completed a controversial switch from Hearts to Rangers ahead of joining Steve Clarke’s squad for the tournament in the United States.
A clause in his Hearts contract allowed the former Jambos captain to leave Tynecastle for nothing and join the club he supported as a boy.
The move has angered many Hearts supporters after a season that saw their side finish agonisingly close to winning the Premiership title.
Shankland played a central role in that near-miss campaign, regularly scoring against Rangers in a season where the Ibrox club finished a distant third.
He will now be expected to help fire Rangers to silverware under manager Danny Rohl when domestic football resumes after the tournament.
But his immediate thoughts are fixed on Scotland’s World Cup campaign, beginning with a final warm-up against Bolivia this Saturday.
Shankland even delayed his squad reporting date by a day to complete the transfer, arriving for his medical on the Wednesday instead of the scheduled Tuesday.
“When you come to a World Cup, you want to enjoy that experience,” he said. “I don’t think I wanted anything hanging over my head with my club football so I was quite keen to get things wrapped up.”
He was keen to frame the Rangers move as a lifelong ambition finally fulfilled, describing it as something he could not turn down despite the emotional weight of leaving Hearts.
“To join my boyhood club, somewhere that I’ve always had a dream to play, and to get that opportunity, especially in the later stages of your career, I’m just happy and excited to get that opportunity,” he said.
A double in last Saturday’s 4-1 friendly win over Curacao at Hampden has positioned Shankland as the frontrunner to start against Haiti at the World Cup.
The 29-year-old enjoyed the most prolific season of any striker in Clarke’s squad and admitted scoring at the World Cup is the ultimate ambition for any forward.
“Everybody will aim to leave their stamp here,” he said. “As a striker, that’s what you’re judged on so of course I’d love to get on the scoresheet at the World Cup.”
He added that a personal gesture from captain Andy Robertson helped reinforce the magnitude of representing Scotland on the world stage.
“Andy actually left us a wee letter the other night and gave us a couple of wee gifts to say well done for being in the squad, etc,” Shankland said.
Robertson’s message highlighted just how small the group of players who ever reach a World Cup truly is, making the occasion feel even more significant to those in the squad.
“The numbers on that, when he put the significance of how many people there are and how little people are in this squad, it was huge,” Shankland said. “That added to the importance of it.”
With his club future secured and his confidence riding high after a strong end to the domestic season, Shankland arrives at the tournament fully focused and eager to make his mark.
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