Luis Binks could hardly contain his excitement when he received his first senior call‑up for Scotland. "I've wanted to represent Scotland for years, and now the chance has finally arrived.
I’m incredibly proud," he told Sky Sports News. The 25‑year‑old defender, who has previously featured for both the Scottish and English under‑21 sides, did not need any persuasion when new national team manager Sébastien Pocognoli invited him to join the squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures. Binks, who captains Brøndby in Denmark, is among a fresh group of six players making their full‑international debuts in the matches against Slovenia, North Macedonia and Switzerland.
Pocognoli has made it clear that he will not try to pressure dual‑eligible players into choosing Scotland, a stance that resonated with Binks. "If a manager had to beg a player to pick a country, I think that’s the wrong approach," Binks explained. "I didn’t need any convincing – I was ready and eager." He continued, "My heart has always been with Scotland.
It’s where I feel I belong, and I’ve always wanted to take that path. The opportunity is finally here and I’m just overjoyed." The new Scotland side under Pocognoli looks markedly different from the one that qualified for the World Cup under Steve Clarke. Twelve members of Clarke’s final squad are absent, with only Scott McTominay, Lawrence Shankland and Che Adams missing due to injury.
While the environment is largely new, Binks will find a few familiar faces among his teammates. He recalled a previous experience with fellow defender Aaron Hickey: "A few years ago, while we were both in Bologna, Aaron got a call‑up. At that time I was playing for the under‑21s and nothing else seemed to materialise, but Scotland has always been the nation I wanted to represent." He reflected on his youth international days, saying, "When I was with the under‑16s on a trip abroad, the atmosphere was fantastic.
It felt like a proper team of mates, a group of normal lads playing together. That feeling stuck with me, and I’ve always wanted to be part of it again." Pocognoli’s tenure officially begins in Ljubljana on Saturday, where Scotland will face Slovenia.
The team will then travel to Hampden Park for a clash with Switzerland three days later, before heading to North Macedonia on October 3 and returning to Glasgow for a second encounter with Slovenia on October 6. Scotland were relegated from Nations League A after a play‑off loss to Greece last year, and they now aim to climb back to the top tier. Binks commented on the ambition, "We want to get back into Group A, but there are many new faces, a new manager and new tactics to adapt to.
It’s similar to what I’m experiencing at club level – I have a new manager at Brøndby, and it takes time for everyone to adjust. The same process will happen here." He added, "It’s about getting the players on board, believing in the manager’s vision and embracing the style he wants to implement.
It’s still early days, but I feel the whole squad is fully committed and confident about what we can achieve for Scotland." The full squad list includes goalkeepers Scott Bain (Falkirk), Angus Gunn (San Jose Earthquakes), Liam Kelly (Rangers) and Jon McCracken (Bradford City); defenders Luis Binks (Brøndby), 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) and Stephen Welsh (Swansea City); midfielders Ryan Christie (Bournemouth), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Josh McPake (Hearts), Lennon Miller (Udinese) and Kristie Montgomery (Blackburn Rovers); and forwards Kieron Bowie (Sassuolo), Findlay Curtis (Rangers), Ben Gannon‑Doak (Bournemouth), Oli McBurnie (Hull City), Robbie Ure (Sevilla) and James Wilson (Hearts). Fans can follow the team’s progress via Sky Sports’ WhatsApp channel, which provides the latest news, video highlights, analysis and more.
The upcoming fixtures are scheduled as follows: Slovenia vs Scotland on September 26 at 14:00, Scotland vs Switzerland on September 29 at 19:45, North Macedonia vs Scotland on October 3 at 19:45, Scotland vs Slovenia on October 6 at 19:45, Scotland vs North Macedonia on November 13 at 19:45 and Switzerland vs Scotland on November 16 at 19:45. Additionally, Sky Sports is running a Super 6 competition with a £1 million prize for participants.