Rangers' midfield prospect Connor Barron has set his sights on what he describes as a "perfect" conclusion to the campaign – lifting the Scottish Premiership trophy and earning a place in Steve Clarke's Scotland squad for the upcoming World Cup in the United States. At just 23, Barron has already become a key figure in Danny Röhl's early tenure as Rangers manager, and he is eager to build on the momentum he generated before a knee injury sidelined him for more than two months.
Before his lay‑off, Barron was in scintillating form, a run that saw him receive back‑to‑back late‑call‑ups to the national side for training camps in October and November. Those camps coincided with Scotland's historic 4‑2 win over Denmark at Hampden Park, a match that secured the country's first World Cup qualification in 28 years.
Although he did not feature in the decisive game, his involvement in the squad gave him a taste of the excitement surrounding the national team's resurgence. Barron made his return to Rangers action in mid‑March, but his minutes have been limited.
New signing Tochi Chukwuani, who arrived in January, has been preferred by Belgian international Nico Raskin as the central midfield partner, meaning Barron has largely been used as a substitute. Despite the reduced role, the former Aberdeen youngster remains determined to influence the title race and to catch Clarke's eye before the squad departs for the United States. The competition for midfield places in the Scotland set‑up is fierce. The central corridor of the pitch is arguably the most crowded area in the national pool, with several established Premier League and Serie A players already earmarked for the World Cup journey.
Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour, both part of Napoli's title‑winning side, are almost certain to travel, as is fellow Serie A talent Lewis Ferguson. In England, Aston Villa captain John McGinn and Bournemouth's Ryan Christie are regulars for Scotland, while teenage midfielder Lennon Miller has been a mainstay for Udinese in recent weeks. Kenny McLean, who famously scored the decisive goal in the Denmark qualifier, also remains in the mix. When Clarke announced his 26‑man squad for the warm‑up friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast in March, he listed eight midfielders: the seven mentioned above plus Sparta Prague's Andy Irving.
Assuming the squad composition stays consistent for the World Cup, Barron will be vying for that final midfield berth alongside Irving and a group of uncapped domestic players – Josh Mulligan (Hibernian), Elliot Watt (Motherwell), Marc Leonard (Hearts), Luke McCowan (Celtic) and David Watson (Kilmarnock). The odds are steep, but Barron believes his attributes can tip the balance. "I think I could bring my energy, composure on the ball, and tenacity off it.
There's a lot of things within my game that I feel I could bring to the team," Barron told Sky Sports News. "It's just down to me performing and getting in the door and hopefully playing.
It would mean everything to me. My debut was a moment I'll never forget – it's a dream for any young boy to pull on that Scotland shirt and represent his country." He reflected on the euphoria of the Denmark qualifier, a match that still resonates in his family stories despite him not being born when Scotland last appeared at a World Cup.
"It was great, the night was great. You couldn't really have written it with the goals that happened [vs Denmark]. It was an unforgettable night at Hampden, and the celebrations were amazing," he recalled. "All the boys in the squad are buzzing to get over to America and hopefully participate better than we did last time." For Barron, the ideal season finale is straightforward: win the league and board the plane to the World Cup.
Rangers demonstrated their resolve on Sunday, overturning a 2‑0 deficit to beat Falkirk 6‑3 away, a victory that came after both Hearts and Celtic had secured wins the previous day. The timing of the result was crucial; it kept Rangers within a point of league leaders Hearts with five games left, preserving a three‑way battle for the title. "We've got a really strong group, we've come through a lot this season, and we're in a great position at the moment," Barron said after the match. "We've definitely got the right mindset, everyone's pushing in the right direction, everyone's hungry to go and win the league, and hopefully we can go and do it.
It's obviously the first time for me. It's something that this club thrives off, being in this sort of position." He admitted that missing out on a regular starting spot last season was disappointing, but he views the current campaign as a massive opportunity. "It's one you want to be involved in and it makes you hungry to go out there and perform and hopefully come away with a winner's medal around your neck.
That would mean everything," he added. Barron's cameo in the Falkirk win was limited to the final 13 minutes, but he made it clear he wants more minutes as the season draws to a close. "Yeah, it's obviously good to be back, good to be back on the pitch, training and being involved in the games as well," he told the reporters.
"I'm just hungry for more. I'm ready and just need to keep going, showing what I can do and keeping my standards high every day to get myself back into the team." He acknowledged the frustration of watching matches from the sidelines during his injury layoff, but also recognized the importance of resilience. "It wasn't nice to get that injury, but these things happen in football, it's sometimes part of it, but it's just about how you bounce back from it," he said. With the league title still within reach and the World Cup squad still being finalized, Barron's ambition remains crystal clear.
He aims to finish the season with a championship medal in his cabinet and a ticket to represent Scotland on football's biggest stage – a combination he believes would define a "perfect" ending to his 2023‑24 campaign.