Clarke to name Scotland World Cup squad - the key questions
The Southampton forward has enjoyed a superb 2026 since missing a huge chunk of the first-half of the season with a hamstring injury. With five goals in his last 10 - including in the Saints' much-talked about Championship promotion play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough - the 29-year-old is in fine form. The two-cap striker - who last played for Scotland in 2022 - has the play-off final to look forward to where he will come up against a fellow World Cup wannabe in Oli McBurnie.
Much like Stewart, the Hull City frontman has had a fruitful campaign, with 18 goals in 41 appearances for The Tigers. He also backs his own ability. The 29-year-old revealed last month he phoned Clarke asking for the reasons behind his absence from the international set-up.
The in-form pair have dominated recent discourse among The Tartan Army and their respective cases have strengthened with an untimely injury for Boro forward Tommy Conway. The 22-year-old limped off in tears , 73 minutes into last Tuesday's defeat to Stewart's Saints and though his club have not released details of his injury, there is wide belief he will miss out. Findlay Curtis found the net four times in Killie's five post-split matches Someone else who could benefit from Conway's apparent misfortune is Findlay Curtis.
Named in the last squad for friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast - making his debut off the bench in the former - the 19-year-old was on the periphery, but has surely propelled himself to the front of the queue with sensational post-split form at Kilmarnock. With four goals in five games for Neil McCann's side, the winger has captured the imagination of fans far beyond Ayrshire. He has also starred when Clarke has been in the crowd at Rugby Park.
Former Livingston boss Marvin Bartley said the teenager "definitely" should go because "Scotland need him" - a sentiment echoed by fellow Sportscene pundit Scott Allan. "It's very early in his career to be going to a World Cup, but we just don't have enough players throughout the squad who can come on and influence a game with that sort of pace and directness," said the former Hibernian playmaker. "He is someone who can get you up the pitch.