Shankland<\/a> has rediscovered his Midas touch in maroon and tops the Premiership scoring charts while he has netted 10 in all competitions so far.<\/p>\nNow he hopes his form can convince Clarke to hand him his chance in the double header against Greece and Denmark which can secure automatic qualification to next summer\u2019s showpiece.<\/p>\n
Shankland has three goals in 16 appearances for his country and was part of last summer\u2019s Euro 2024 squad but had to make do with three late sub appearances in Germany.<\/p>\n
And while the 30-year-old is ready to play a supporting role again in the qualifying campaign finale that starts in Piraeus on Saturday, he would love nothing more than to score the goal to take the country to a first World Cup since 1998.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cEverybody wants to play every minute of every game but, as a player, you know that\u2019s not possible.<\/p>\n
![\"Lawrence](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Scotland-Football-Access.jpg\")
Lawrence Shankland leaves the hotel with Connor Barron(Image: SNS Group)<\/p>\n
\u201cI got on in all the games last summer and you try to make an impact. That\u2019s the role you\u2019re asked to play and you go with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wouldn\u2019t say there\u2019s disappointment. You always want to do more and bring more but your role is what it is on a matchday for the national team. You accept it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first step for me recently has been getting back involved with the squad. I\u2019m in a good place, playing well at club level and Hearts are doing well.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf that opportunity comes to get on the pitch, then I\u2019ll go and try to be that guy and score the goal to get us there.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody wants to play at a World Cup and experience major tournaments. Luckily, we\u2019ve been there at the Euros.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo go to a World Cup would feel like another level so hopefully we can get two good performances and two good results, then that would be us on our way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tynecastle team-mate Craig Gordon could be set for a stunning return in the Studio Georgios Karaiskakis on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Despite not having played a minute of competitive football for over six months the 42-year-old could get the nod over Rangers No.2 Liam Kelly and Falkirk\u2019s Scott Bain to replace injured Angus Gunn.<\/p>\n
And Shankland would have no doubts over the 81-times capped keeper\u2019s readiness for action.<\/p>\n
\u201cCraigy trains properly,\u201d he said. \u201cHe\u2019s a 42-year-old guy who is still earning a living as a professional footballer. That probably tells you everything you need to know.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf he gets the opportunity, he\u2019ll be ready. Craigy is capable of big saves in big games and I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll relish the challenge if it comes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s probably a pretty unique situation for the goalkeepers given how we find ourselves, but you are talking about a guy with many caps who has experienced so many of these games with Scotland. He has always produced for us. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be ready and he\u2019ll maybe be looking at it as an opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shankland left it late to sign a new deal at Tynecastle in the summer as he weighed up his options.<\/p>\n
The former Dundee United hitman had offers in England and the Middle East but opted to stay in Gorgie. And he admits his international spot played a part in his decision making.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI knew that when I\u2019d done well here in the past then I got a chance to be involved. It does come into your thinking.<\/p>\n
\u201cA couple of other options would probably have ended my international career.<\/p>\n
“I knew this was an opportunity. With a World Cup approaching, it\u2019s always a good idea to try and be involved.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_JS385823032.jpg\")
Heart of Midlothian’s Lawrence Shankland celebrates <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m joining late in this campaign but it\u2019s at a vital point where you can qualify. Hopefully I\u2019m there again and can be a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
One Hearts team-mate who won\u2019t be backing Shankland and Gordon is Alexandros Kyziridis.<\/p>\n
The Greek winger has lit up Tynecastle with his dazzling performances since arriving in the summer.<\/p>\n
And Shankland said: \u201cHe hasn\u2019t said much. He texted me to say congratulations on getting in the Scotland squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if he was hoping to get in the Greece squad. I wouldn\u2019t have been too surprised if he was. He\u2019s been doing really well here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Shankland could watch the new Kenny Dalglish film for inspiration ahead of facing Greece.<\/p>\n
Scotland\u2019s record appearance holder and joint top scorer played at FOUR World Cups between 1974 and 1986.<\/p>\n
Shankland said: \u201cI was thinking I could watch that when I\u2019m away \u2013when I\u2019ve not got the weans and got a bit of peace. Then I don\u2019t need to watch some Disney movie. I\u2019ll have plenty of time on my hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first World Cup I remember was 2002. That\u2019s the first one I sat and watched properly, Brazil and Ronaldo. Games were on before school. It was special. If we manage to get there, it would be great.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Shankland is back in the squad and he insists he’s ready to fire us to North America in…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":562829,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5009],"tags":[748,4884,47959,94001,712,13315,70571,16,15,93214],"class_list":{"0":"post-562828","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-scotland","8":"tag-britain","9":"tag-great-britain","10":"tag-hearts-fc","11":"tag-lawrence-shankland","12":"tag-scotland","13":"tag-scotland-football-team","14":"tag-steve-clarke","15":"tag-uk","16":"tag-united-kingdom","17":"tag-world-cup-2026"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115529205236274605","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/562828","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=562828"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/562828\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/562829"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=562828"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=562828"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=562828"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Lawrence](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/0_Scotland-v-Finland-International-Friendly.jpg\")
Lawrence Shankland celebrates his goal for Scotland against Finland(Image: SNS Group)<\/p>\n