Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has urged every player in his squad to deliver their “A game” if the team is to achieve the World Cup qualifying results they need in Group C. The Scots travel to Greece on Saturday night in Piraeus before returning to Hampden Park on Tuesday to face Denmark, with a draw and a win in that order sufficient to top the group and secure their first World Cup finals appearance since 1998.

Greece, already eliminated from contention, have little to play for, but Clarke insists that Scotland must remain focused and disciplined. “We need more from every player,” Clarke said. “Every player in the squad has got a part to play over the next couple of games. We need them all at it. We need them all, 100%. And the more players that can bring their A game to the pitch, the better chance we’ve got.”

Squad Prepared and Focused

The Scotland squad flew directly from a warm-weather training camp in Turkey to Athens on Friday, and Clarke confirmed that there are no new injury concerns. “The players have been good, quite relaxed over in Turkey. Most of them now have a lot of experience of big games, what to expect, and how best to prepare to perform at their maximum,” he said.

Clarke has made his selection decisions but withheld the starting goalkeeper announcement. Craig Gordon, 42, of Heart of Midlothian, is the favorite despite not playing competitively this season. Clarke emphasized the importance of every decision in these high-stakes matches. “When you’re head coach and approaching two games of such magnitude, every decision is a big decision,” he said.

Tactical Outlook

Scotland enter the Greece fixture with strong historical performances in mind. They won 1-0 in Greece in March 2025 during the Nations League and followed that with a 3-1 win at Hampden in the recent World Cup qualifier. Scotland have yet to concede an away goal in four matches this year (W3 D1), marking a joint-longest run of consecutive away clean sheets since February 1925–1927.

Clarke’s side also boasts Scott McTominay, who has scored 12 goals in his last 28 appearances, more than double any other Scotland player since 2023. The midfield maestro will be key to Scotland’s attacking output in Athens and at home against Denmark.

Greece’s Perspective

Greek head coach Ivan Jovanovic retains belief in his side despite a run of three consecutive defeats. “The Scots have greater motivation, but the Greeks have our own motivation for the fans and the team,” he said. “We respect Scotland—a very good team with very good players—but our belief remains high.” Greece have struggled defensively, conceding three goals in each of their last three matches, a rare streak in their history.

What Scotland Need to Win the Group

Both Scotland and Denmark are on 10 points, but Denmark holds a superior goal difference (+6). A Scotland victory over Greece would match Denmark’s points, setting up a decisive final game at Hampden. A draw in Athens still allows Scotland to top the group with a win over Denmark. However, a defeat against Greece would require an extraordinary margin of victory against Denmark to secure automatic qualification.

Clarke remains focused on one game at a time: “No, I’m focused on this game. We need a positive result for this game. We need a draw or a win. That makes the second game much more relevant. That’s all I’m focused on.”

How to Follow

Fans can watch the Scotland vs Greece match live on BBC Scotland, BBC Two, and iPlayer from 19:15 GMT. Commentary will feature Steven Thompson, Neil McCann, Leanne Crichton, James McFadden, and Liam McLeod, with radio coverage available on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Radio 5 Live, plus Gaelic commentary on BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal.

Remaining Group C fixtures:

• 15 November: Greece vs Scotland (19:45 GMT), Denmark vs Belarus (19:45 GMT)
• 18 November: Scotland vs Denmark (19:45 GMT), Belarus vs Greece (19:45 GMT)

With the stakes higher than ever, Scotland will need to perform at their peak to secure a historic spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.