Scotland forward Lyndon Dykes says playing at World Cup 'would be highlight of my life'

Scotland star Lyndon Dykes says playing at the World Cup next summer would be a highlight of his career and his life.

The Birmingham City forward missed out on Euro 2024 through injury, but hopes he can make up for that hurt by securing a place in North America.

The national team are potentially two games away from reaching the biggest stage in football when they take on Greece and Denmark.

If they can avoid defeat in Athens on Saturday, it will set up a winner-takes-all clash with the Danes at Hampden next Tuesday.

Dykes insists Steve Clarke’s side “deserve” to be at the tournament being held across the USA, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

The 30-year-old, who has 46 caps and ten goals for Scotland, suffered a heartbreaking injury in the build-up to the last Euros and missed out on the trip to Germany as a result.

And while he admits it was a “very difficult” time, he is now only looking forward towards what could be the “pinnacle” of his career.

He said: “Looking back on it now is difficult, but I am past that now. At the time, it was very difficult for myself, and I found it very hard not being able to help out or play in the Euros, which is major, but now I am just looking forward, and the next thing is the World Cup.

“We have two major games coming up and we want to be getting automatic qualification to the World Cup, so that is the end goal, for myself and I’m sure for the whole team.

“We have an opportunity to do that, it’s not going to be easy and we have to make sure we turn up to both games.

“It will definitely be a highlight of my career and my life if we can do it.

“Personally, I never even thought I would have the opportunity to play at a World Cup, so it is such an amazing opportunity.

“I think with what we have been through the last couple of years, we had the Euros and we achieved that as a team, we got back-to-back Euros and now the next thing is the World Cup.

“All the players, all the staff and the whole nation, everyone wants that, and I just think in general we deserve it as a team for what we have shown over the last few years.

“But just saying ‘we deserve it’ isn’t going to make it any easier to get there. It’s going to be two difficult games; we have to make sure we are fully focused on the first one and do what we have to do.

“Every player wants to play at a World Cup, because it will be the pinnacle of your career.”