Scotland v Belarus 2026 FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball Qualifiers Andy Robertson of Scotland during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Group C match at Hampden Park, Glasgow UK Newspapers OUT Copyright: xFredxPalmerx FIL-22351-0159
Scotland stand on the brink of making history as they face Morocco in Boston, knowing a single point would send them into the knockout stages for the very first time.
Steve Clarke’s side earned a 1-0 victory over Haiti in their Group C opener, setting up one of the most significant nights in Scottish football history.
Andy Robertson, speaking ahead of the match, captured the mood inside the camp perfectly, saying the players are hungry to etch their names into the record books.
Robertson said: “We want to be the first team to be able to do it for our country and it’s a nice feeling.”
He added: “We know how difficult it’s going to be. We’re now playing against one of the best teams in the world but we believe we can make any game difficult.”
Clarke has also moved to defend Scott McTominay after the Napoli midfielder delivered a below-par display against Haiti, having been struck down by a sickness bug before that game.
Clarke said: “The Haiti game was a struggle for a lot of the players, not just Scott. I thought Haiti controlled our midfield very well.”
He insisted McTominay remains in good shape, adding: “Scott’s in a good place and ready to go again,” as Scotland look to their star midfielder to step up on the biggest stage.
Pundit Michael Stewart has urged Clarke to go for broke by starting both Ben Gannon Doak and Findlay Curtis, believing a lineup full of verve and attacking intent is the right approach against Morocco.
Stewart’s bold suggested lineup features Gunn in goal, with Hickey, Hendry, McKenna and Robertson in defence, supported by Ferguson, McTominay and McGinn in midfield, and Gannon Doak, Shankland and Curtis leading the attack.
Morocco arrive in Boston carrying their own headline-grabbing controversy, after captain Achraf Hakimi was ordered to stand trial on a rape charge in France just hours before kickoff.
Hakimi, 27, has consistently denied the allegations and took to social media to reiterate his innocence, writing: “The justice system looked me in the eye and said, if you weren’t famous, there would never have been a case.”
The PSG defender wrote: “I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I’m eagerly awaiting it. Finally, I’ll be able to speak.”
Morocco are no pushover, having drawn 1-1 with five-time champions Brazil in their Group C opener, with teenage midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi emerging as one of the tournament’s most exciting young players.
The 18-year-old, valued at £70 million before the tournament began, dismantled the Brazilian midfield pairing of Casimero and Bruno Guimaraes in that opening match and is attracting interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Scotland midfielder Tyler Fletcher has received a boost of support from an unlikely source, with Manchester United teammate Kai Rooney sharing a snap on Instagram wearing a Fletcher 8 Scotland shirt ahead of the match.
The Tartan Army has descended on Foxborough in full voice, with fans also gathering at Glasgow’s TRNSMT festival to watch the game broadcast live on a giant screen after Richard Ashcroft’s headline set.
The permutations are straightforward for Clarke’s men tonight: win and they are through, draw and they are almost certainly through, but a heavy defeat could leave them needing a result against Brazil in their final group game.
Scotland’s captain Robertson summed up the collective determination simply: “If we can put in our best performance, I believe we can get what we want and hopefully be the ones that achieve history.”
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