Robbie Ure, the Sevilla forward, and Luis Binks of Brondby have been selected among five newcomers to receive their first full Scotland caps under the direction of new manager Sebastien Pocognoli. The list also features Celtic centre‑back Colby Donovan, Hearts winger Josh McPake and Swansea City midfielder Stephen Welsh, all of whom have been called up for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.
In addition to the fresh blood, veteran Hull City striker Oli McBurnie makes a long‑awaited return to the national side after his previous appearance in 2021. Goalkeeping duties see the return of Scott Bain and Jon McCracken, who step in after veteran Craig Gordon announced his retirement following the World Cup. Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour is back after a knee injury forced him out of Steve Clarke's final squad.
Luke Graham, who impressed during Scotland's pre‑World Cup training camp in May and enjoyed a breakthrough season with Dundee, has also earned a place. The Stoke City defender, a three‑time under‑21 international, has featured every minute as The Potters secured three wins and a draw in their last four Championship matches. Further inclusions are Serie A side Sassuolo’s Josh Doig and Kieron Bowie, Udinese’s Lennon Miller, and Hearts attacker James Wilson, all of whom have been recalled to the fold.
Notably absent is Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay, who is recovering from minor heart surgery, and Rangers striker Lawrence Shankland, sidelined with a hamstring problem. Torino forward Che Adams also misses out through injury. Overall, twelve players who featured at the World Cup are missing from Pocognoli’s first selection.
Among those omitted are Rangers centre‑back John Souttar, Celtic’s Anthony Ralston, Hibernian defender Grant Hanley, Wrexham’s Dominic Hyam, Manchester United’s Tyler Fletcher, Millwall’s Lyndon Dykes, Stoke’s George Hirst and Swansea’s Ross Stewart. Binks, who captains Danish SuperLiga club Brondby, is 25 and has previously represented Scotland at under‑18 level before switching allegiance to England at youth level. Ure, a product of the Rangers academy, secured a high‑profile move to LaLiga side Sevilla after an eye‑catching spell with Swedish club Sirius, where he scored 20 goals in as many games. The 22‑year‑old is also eligible for Ukraine through a grand‑parental link.
McPake has earned his call‑up thanks to his strong performances since joining Hearts from St Johnstone in the summer, while Welsh arrives after a successful loan at Motherwell from Celtic last season. Right‑back Donovan has been a fixture in Celtic’s back line this term and replaces his teammate Ralston in the squad. The full goalkeeper roster includes Scott Bain (Falkirk), Angus Gunn (San Jose Earthquakes), Liam Kelly (Rangers) and Jon McCracken (Bradford City). The defensive contingent features Luis Binks (Brondby), Josh Doig (Sassuolo), Colby Donovan (Celtic), Luke Graham (Stoke City), Jack Hendry (Al‑Ettifaq), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Scott McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Nathan Patterson (Torino), Andy Robertson (Tottenham), Kieran Tierney (Celtic) and Stephen Welsh (Swansea City).
Midfield selections comprise Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Kenny McLean (Norwich City), Josh McPake (Hearts) and Lennon Miller (Udinese). Up front, the attackers are Kieron Bowie (Sassuolo), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Ben Gannon‑Doak (Bournemouth), Oli McBurnie (Hull City), Robbie Ure (Sevilla) and James Wilson (Hearts). Pocognoli addressed the press after unveiling his squad, emphasizing his tactical priorities: “The most important factor for me is the style of play I want to implement on the pitch. My selections have been driven by that vision.
I could have named many more players, but I had to make difficult choices. Some omissions are due to injuries, others to playing time, but ultimately it’s about fitting the system I intend to use.” He added, “We have a balanced mix of seasoned internationals, fresh faces, first‑cap players and those returning from injury. The aim is to integrate the new talent while preserving the DNA, heritage and culture of Scottish football. This is a new chapter – a fresh book – and what happened before is history.
Now we build something new.” Former Scotland striker James McFadden, speaking to Sky Sports News, praised Ure’s inclusion: “Robbie has been on our radar ever since his prolific spell in Sweden before the World Cup, but he missed out then. His move to Sevilla proves he can compete at the highest level.
Scotland has struggled for depth in attack for years, and his arrival adds much‑needed competition.” McFadden also defended McBurnie’s recall: “Oli deserves his chance. He’s faced criticism over the past few seasons, but his passion for wearing the Scottish shirt is evident.
He’s worked hard, improved his game, and now has the platform to fight for the number nine role.” The upcoming Nations League schedule sees Scotland face Slovenia on 26 September at 2 pm, Switzerland on 29 September at 7.45 pm, North Macedonia on 3 October at 7.45 pm, a return fixture against Slovenia on 6 October at 7.45 pm, followed by another clash with North Macedonia on 13 November at 7.45 pm and finally Switzerland on 16 November at 7.45 pm. Fans are encouraged to follow Sky Sports on WhatsApp for the latest news, video highlights, analysis and more.
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