Uncapped Ben Doak and Ross McCrorie named in Scotland’s provisional Euros squad

Uncapped duo Ben Doak and Ross McCrorie have been been named in Scotland’s provisional 28-man squad for Euro 2024, while veteran winger James Forrest has earned a recall almost three years after winning his last cap.

Scotland Under-21 winger Doak, 18, has been handed his first full national team call-up ahead of the showpiece in Germany despite the Liverpool youngster having spent most of 2024 recovering from a knee injury sustained in December.

Versatile Bristol City defender McCrorie has been involved in squads previously – in 2020 and 2023 – but he will be hoping to get the chance to win his first cap this summer.

The 26-year-old former Aberdeen player has been drafted in following injuries to Premier League pair Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson that left Celtic’s Anthony Ralston as the only recognised right-back already semi-established in manager Steve Clarke’s squad.

Celtic attacker Forrest has not played for Scotland since winning his 38th cap against Czech Republic at the last European Championships in June 2021.

The 32-year-old’s international career appeared to be over as he became a peripheral figure at club level but his impressive return to prominence in recent months during his club’s surge towards the cinch Premiership title has brought him back into Clarke’s thoughts.

Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack has been enlisted despite being sidelined by injury since the Europa League match away to Benfica in early March while Norwich centre-back Grant Hanley, who has played only eight minutes since March 6, has also been given a chance to prove his fitness within the national team set-up over the next couple of weeks.

It was expected that one of Clarke’s four favoured goalkeepers – Norwich’s Angus Gunn, Motherwell’s Liam Kelly plus Hearts pair Craig Gordon and Zander Clark – might miss out but the full quartet have been named, for now at least.

Strikers Kevin Nisbet and Jacob Brown – both of whom have been involved in Clarke’s squad over the past year – have not made it, with Hearts striker and PFA Scotland Premiership Player of the Year Lawrence Shankland jumping ahead of them in the pecking order to secure his place after hitting 31 goals for the Jambos over the season just finished.

Scotland play two friendlies against Gibraltar on June 3 and Finland on June 7 before Clarke will trim two players from his squad as he names his final 26-man pool the weekend before the Scots kick off the tournament against hosts Germany in Munich.

Scotland’s provisional Euro 2024 squad:
Goalkeepers: Zander Clark, Craig Gordon, Angus Gunn, Liam Kelly.
Defenders: Liam Cooper, Grant Hanley, Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna, Ross McCrorie, Ryan Porteous, Anthony Ralston, Andrew Robertson, John Souttar, Greg Taylor, Kieran Tierney.
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong, Ryan Christie, Billy Gilmour, Ryan Jack, John McGinn, Callum McGregor, Kenny McLean, Scott McTominay.
Forwards: Ché Adams, Ben Doak, Lyndon Dykes, James Forrest, Lawrence Shankland.