Lawrence Shankland

Lawrence Shankland is a forward in Scotland's 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, named by Steve Clarke when the final list was confirmed on 19 May 2026. The 30-year-old plays for Heart of Midlothian, where he is the club captain, and goes to the finals with 18 senior caps and four goals to his name for Scotland.

Scotland reached the tournament as winners of their UEFA qualifying group, sealing their place in November 2025, and open Group C against Haiti at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on 13 June. For Shankland, a 30-year-old penalty-box striker who has just come off a strong club season in front of goal, the finals would be a first senior World Cup.

Shankland is a penalty-box striker, a finisher who does his best work inside the area. He captained Heart of Midlothian through 2025-26, a season in which he scored 20 goals with six assists in all competitions.

A number nine's job is to take the chances that fall in the box, and that is Shankland's game. For Scotland he gives Steve Clarke a recognised goalscorer at club level, even if his international return is more modest at four goals in 18 caps.

Shankland gives Scotland's Goal Rush pick a recognised penalty-box finisher, a striker whose game is built on scoring goals. Scotland cost £10m as a Tier 4 side, a low outlay within the game's £200m card budget, with Group C ahead.

At the lower end of the card, his appeal is that finishing — Shankland is the kind of out-and-out number nine who lives off chances in the box when he plays for Scotland.