Clarke's key questions for Scotland World Cup squad

This is it. On Tuesday, Scotland head coach Steve Clarke will name his World Cup squad.

It's the one everyone wants to be involved in, it's the one so many missed out on during the nation's 28-year absence from the biggest stage of all, it's the one only 26 players will be a part of.

During Clarke's near seven-year reign, supporters have learned to expect fierce loyalty and little change, but there are still a few tight calls for seats on the plane to the United States of America.

BBC Sport Scotland takes a look at some of the key questions Clarke might be managing.

The name Ross Stewart is just not going away, and for good reason.

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.

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."

When Clarke named his Euro 2024 squad, there were few surprises - in-line with most of his selections - but the omission of Craig Gordon was met with some shock.

Not least because that also seemed to signal the end of his lengthy international career.

But Gordon has made a habit of defying odds, and returned between the Scotland sticks five months after missing the tournament in Germany.

The veteran goalkeeper played a vital role in qualification for this summer's tournament, with some superb saves to keep the score low in the defeat to Greece and, of course, starting on that memorable night against Denmark.

But a shoulder injury sustained earlier this year - weeks after pulling off arguably the save of the season for Hearts away to Dundee means he hasn't played since late January.

Scott Bain was called up for the last camp - performing well in the half he played in Liverpool against Ivory Coast - but the Falkirk shotstopper hurt his ankle in last month's Scottish Cup semi-final against Dunfermline.

He was expected to be out for three weeks, but failed to make the Bairns' final matchday squad against Rangers at the weekend.

Gordon has been back in training with Hearts and will no doubt be doing everything he can to be the second-oldest player to feature at a World Cup aged 43 and five months.

Dominic Hyam has been in and out of squad's for a number of years, but the 30-year-old finally made his first start at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last month.

A comfortable performance in the heart of defence caught many eyes, which - along with a potential injury to Grant Hanley - could see him make the plane.

One of Clarke's most trusted operators, Hanley, hirpled off in Hibernian's defeat to Motherwell on Saturday and head coach David Gray suggested he'd "overstretched his knee".

While the stalwart centre-back is sweating over his fitness, his former Hibs team-mate Kieron Bowie is celebrating yet another goal in Serie A.

The 23-year-old stunned the San Siro on Sunday, equalising in stoppage-time for relegated-Hellas Verona to play party-pooper at Inter Milan's title party.

Elsewhere in Italy, Lennon Miller has made squads on a regular basis of late, but failed to feature in either friendly, picking up the last of his four caps in the dying embers of the 2-1 win over Belarus in October.

It's a nervy time for many, but for the lucky 26 players, the call they receive confirming their spot in Scotland's World Cup squad will be the stuff of dreams.