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Few Scots are better placed than Gordon Strachan to evaluate Scotland’s prospects at this summer’s FIFA World Cup.

As a player, Strachan represented his nation in the 1982 and 1986 tournaments, later managing the Scotland team between 2013 and 2017.

Although he never guided the national side to a major competition as manager, Strachan’s career provides him with the insight of a man who has experienced football’s biggest stage firsthand.

He believes that simply qualifying for the World Cup is already a triumph for Scotland.

“It’s a great achievement because it means everyone can go and enjoy themselves,” he said. “Whenever there’s a World Cup, it’s better when Scotland supporters are there. We’re not expecting miracles; we’ll just go there, enjoy the moment, and support the team.”

Behind his trademark modest humour lies genuine confidence in the resilience Steve Clarke has built into this Scotland team. Drawn in Group C with Morocco, Haiti, and Brazil, the Scots revisit a familiar path, having faced Brazil and Morocco during their last World Cup appearance in 1998.

Strachan, however, is convinced the team can challenge anyone. “Steve [Clarke] has put together a side that the other three teams in the group will find tough to beat. And that includes Brazil. We’ve got strength, height, determination, technical ability, and discipline — we’ll make it difficult for anyone to play against us.”

His optimism is especially strong when he talks about the squad’s core — several of whom he gave their first international caps during his managerial stint.

“I was fortunate to hand debuts to [John] McGinn, [Andy] Robertson, and [Kieran] Tierney when they were just kids, really,” he recalled.

Discussing the current lineup, Strachan is particularly impressed with the midfield’s influence and attacking contribution.

“I’d love to be working with McTominay — absolutely love Scott McTominay. And [Ryan] Christie too. These players show that our strength lies in midfield. They not only score goals but also offer strong defensive cover.”

One of the key talking points ahead of the tournament has been Scotland’s attacking options.

While critics often highlight the absence of a prolific number nine, Strachan remains unfazed, pointing instead to the players’ flexibility.

“Among our forwards, [Lawrence] Shankland is undoubtedly the best finisher. There’s no question about that. But Steve has to decide what works best for the team overall,” he said.

“People say, ‘They don’t have natural goalscorers at international level.’ But when you’ve got midfielders scoring as many as strikers, the key is to make the most of your best players and get as many of them on the pitch as possible.”

Strachan also believes Shankland’s recent injury spell at Hearts might actually prove beneficial.

“The good thing about Shankland is that his break during the season means he’ll be fresh. That injury might have seemed unfortunate at the time, but it could turn out to be a blessing — both for the World Cup and for Hearts later in the season.”

One of the most anticipated fixtures of Scotland’s group stage will be their clash with Brazil at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. For Strachan, that encounter holds special meaning. He was part of the Scotland side that faced Brazil in Seville during the 1982 World Cup, when David Narey famously put Scotland ahead before a 4–1 defeat to a Brazilian team often hailed as the greatest never to win the trophy.

“I’ve already got tickets for the Brazil-Scotland match,” Strachan said with a smile. “I played against that unbelievable Brazil side in ’82 — Zico, Socrates, Falcao, Cerezo. I was on the pitch, but I’m not sure I actually played! I was there, saw it all up close, but I don’t think I touched the ball!”

Strachan shared his thoughts while serving as an ambassador for the Coventry Building Society at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

All Together Better – to learn more about Coventry Building Society, visit thecoventry.co.uk.