Ross Stewart named in Scotland's 26-man World Cup squad

Southampton striker Ross Stewart has been selected as part of Scotland's final 26-man squad for the World Cup. The 29-year-old marksman earns his first international call-up in four years following a productive period of club football.

Stewart has been in strong form, scoring eight goals in his most recent 16 appearances. His total tally for the current season stands at 11 goals. This includes a significant goal in Southampton's FA Cup quarter-final victory against Arsenal, as well as a necessary equaliser in the second leg of the play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough.

This selection marks a return to the international fold for the forward. While he earned two caps during his time at Sunderland, his senior debut for Scotland did not occur until June 2022. He had not featured in a national squad since that debut until this latest announcement.

Scotland will compete in Group C during the tournament. Their group stage schedule features three matches: a game against Haiti on Sunday, 14 June, a fixture against Morocco on Friday, 19 June, and a final group match against Brazil on Wednesday, 24 June.

The national team is aiming to reach the knockout stages of the competition for the first time in their history. Stewart will look to contribute to that goal as he seeks to make an impact on the world stage.