Kenny McLean eyes ‘summer to remember’ as Scotland push for 2026 World Cup

Kenny McLean is keen to give the Tartan Army “a summer to remember” by helping Scotland reach the 2026 World Cup finals.

The 33-year-old Norwich midfielder has been a regular member of the national squads since making his Scotland debut in March 2016 in a Prague friendly against Czech Republic.

The Scots have featured at the most recent two European Championships – McLean missed the delayed 2020 finals through injury but was in Germany last summer – but so far the World Cup finals have eluded him and Scotland, who last qualified for the tournament in 1998.

However, qualification hopes for the global showpiece which will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico have increased after Monday’s 2-0 Group C win over Belarus in Hungary followed Friday’s goalless draw against Denmark in Copenhagen.

And McLean, who was introduced in the second half in Zalaegerszeg to earn his 52nd cap, is eager for his country to make it to the biggest stage once again before he retires.

“I think it (my age) probably means it could be my last chance,” he said. “So I’m going to try and play my part as much as I can and as much as I’m needed and wanted.

“I’ll try to do as much as I can at my club to be involved, as much as I can here.

“Obviously, the manager (Steve Clarke) always puts a lot of trust in me and I thank him for that and I’ll continue to try and be there and be available for him.

“I’m under no illusions that personally this could be my last campaign. So I’m desperate, but if it was my first or last, I would be just as desperate.

“Obviously, we’ve done the Euros a couple of times now and we never take that for granted. We’ll never take it for granted, being involved in a set-up.

“And the thing is, we know that we have the ability and the quality to go and take it at one step further than we’ve done in a long time.

“So it’s about us in the squad, taking that on to the next stage and giving everybody a summer to remember again.”

Steve Clarke’s side have four points from six – the same as Denmark – ahead of next month’s double-header at home to Greece and Belarus.

McLean said: “Before these two games, you’re probably looking at four points being a decent enough camp.

“Obviously going to Denmark, getting a point and going to Hungary, we knew how to get the job done. So four points for these two games have been really good.

“So we’ll back to our clubs, obviously try and stay fit and healthy, get ourselves right for the next month and then we go again because it’s a big double-header and we’re going to need everybody.

“Two clean sheets along the way as well, so we are looking really solid.

“It’s something to build on. It’s a good start in the campaign, but there is a long way to go.”