Belarus v Scotland: John McGinn says playing at World Cup would be career highlight

John McGinn is driving on with his lifelong ambition to play at a World Cup finals with Scotland for a “career highlight”.

The 30-year-old Aston Villa midfielder has featured at two European Championships but is hoping to help the Scots to their first appearance at the biggest football tournament on the planet for the first time since France 1998.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup qualifier against Belarus in Hungary on Monday night – which follows the encouraging goalless draw against Denmark – the former St Mirren and Hibernian player said: “I saw Robbo (Andrew Robertson) say he remembers France 98 but I don’t think I do.

“I remember my dad and my grandad speaking about it. So for us to be involved in a World Cup would be 100 per cent a career highlight.

“Representing your country at a World Cup would eclipse everything that I’ve managed to achieve in the game.

“I used to see my team-mates going when I was on holiday.

“Next year, we’ve got the opportunity to be there. Every time myself and the boys stand in the tunnel before a game, we need to remind ourselves of that.

“My first competitive appearance was probably a few of the boys’ worst experience. It was Slovakia away in a big qualifier and we lost 3-0.

“So it was a sort of strange feeling. I was absolutely over the moon to have made my first competitive appearance, but those boys were devastated.

“That was maybe eight or nine years ago.

“So, it has gone by quick, it does go by quick. It’s been amazing. But hopefully my body allows another six, seven years maybe.

“We need to realise what we can achieve. We know what’s at stake and we know how to do it.

“It’s important we get three points on Monday to give ourselves the best possible chance.”

Celtic skipper Callum McGregor called time on his Scotland career in August 2024, after winning 63 caps.

However, McGinn, whose first of 78 caps to date was a friendly against Denmark in 2016, has no plans to concentrate on club football.

He said: “No, never. I understand why boys do it. There’s probably a few performances in the last couple of years where I should probably have went ‘I’m knackered, give yourself a break’.

“But it took me a few years to get into the national team and what a privilege it is every time you come away.

“You hear the anthem, you see your family proud as punch in the stand and for me, I’ll stop playing for Scotland when the manager decides I’m not good enough and I’m not helping the squad and I’m not helping around the place.

“So, hopefully that’s for many years to come. But it’s certainly something that’s not in the back of my head now or even in the near future.

“In saying that, I understand why people do it a lot more now than probably what I did before when I was younger.

“So, hopefully you’ll see my face for another few years.”