New Scotland head coach Sébastien Pocognoli has named a 28-man squad for his first Nations League campaign, introducing seven uncapped players while bringing back several familiar faces after this summer’s World Cup. Former Celtic defender Stephen Welsh is among the newcomers, but the broader picture is a significant reshaping of the national team under the new coach.
Pocognoli has included 14 players who were not part of Scotland’s World Cup squad, giving the Belgian an opportunity to assess a much wider group immediately. The extended squad is designed for a new Nations League format that opens with four matches in the first international window, making Pocognoli’s first selection an important early indication of how he plans to build the team.
Seven Uncapped Players Join Scotland Squad
Welsh is one of seven players who have yet to win a senior Scotland cap. The former Celtic defender is joined by Celtic’s Colby Donovan, Brøndby defender Luis Binks, Stoke City’s Luke Graham, Hearts winger Josh McPake, Sevilla striker Robbie Ure and Bradford City goalkeeper Jon McCracken.
Ure arrives after scoring 20 goals in 20 appearances for Swedish club Sirius before earning a summer move to Sevilla, while McPake has made a strong start at Hearts with two goals and four assists since joining from St Johnstone. Binks captains Brøndby and has previously represented Scotland at Under-18 level, while Graham was already part of the senior setup as a training player earlier this year. James Wilson, another young Hearts forward, is also included but already has two Scotland caps.
McBurnie Returns as McTominay Misses Out
There are also some notable changes among the more experienced players. Hull City striker Oli McBurnie returns to the squad for the first time since 2021 after scoring 18 goals during Hull’s promotion campaign, including the winning goal in the Championship playoff final. Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour is also back after missing the World Cup because of injury.
Scotland captain Andy Robertson remains, along with John McGinn, Kieran Tierney, Ryan Christie and Lewis Ferguson. Scott McTominay is the most notable omission, with the Napoli midfielder recovering from a recent heart procedure, while Torino forward Ché Adams is unavailable because of injury.
Welsh’s selection is particularly notable because the 26-year-old has made a strong start since leaving Celtic for Swansea City. He previously captained Scotland at Under-21 level, and Pocognoli has now rewarded his form with a first senior call-up. Donovan also makes the jump from Celtic’s youth setup into the senior squad after establishing himself in the first team.
Scotland Faces Four Nations League Tests
Pocognoli will not have much time to ease into the job. Scotland opens Group B1 away to Slovenia on September 26 before hosting Switzerland at Hampden three days later. The first window continues with a trip to North Macedonia on October 3 and another home meeting with Slovenia on October 6.
The four-game stretch gives Pocognoli an immediate chance to establish his ideas while assessing a mixture of established internationals and younger players pushing for their first opportunity. With seven uncapped players and several important returns, Scotland’s new era is already taking shape.
Scotland Name 28-Man Squad as Former Celtic Defender Gets Call-Up