Lyndon Dykes has insisted Scotland ‘deserve’ to end their World Cup finals drought next summer, as the squad prepares for two crucial qualifiers. The striker, who missed Euro 2024 through injury, says reaching the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico would be the highlight of his career.
Scotland face Greece in Athens on Saturday night, with a draw enough to set up a winner-takes-all clash against Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday. Automatic qualification as Group C winners is the target, avoiding the play-offs. Dykes admitted the agony of missing out on last year's European Championships still stings but is fully focused on the task ahead.
Dykes said: “I think what we’ve been through over the last number of years, we had the burden of trying to qualify for the Euros and we did that as a team. This team deserves it.” He added that the pressure of big games is nothing new, recalling the victory over Serbia that secured Euro 2020 qualification as evidence of the squad's resilience.
The 30-year-old dismissed any notion of undue pressure, saying the camp is relaxed and smiling. “When the time comes there will be nerves, but this squad has played in massive games and we know how to handle it. The core of the squad has grown from that Serbia win,” he said.
