Scotland can use Croatia formula as path to glory as Craig Gordon tells Tartan Army they'll go all out at Hampden

Craig Gordon insists Scotland should not fear Croatia – as the national side has to be inspired by the Balkan big shots.

Steve Clarke’s men are fighting to hang on to their place among Europe’s A-listers in the Nations League and need to win Hampden on Friday night and then follow it up in Poland on Tuesday. Gordon knows the Scots face a formidable challenge against a similarly small country that has made a habit of qualifying – and competing in the latter stages – of major tournaments.

And that is the dream for Clarke and his players as they look for a boost to take into next year’s World Cup qualification bid. Hearts keeper Gordon said: “To do as well as they have, but not only that, for as long as they have, it’s not just one team. They’ve managed to reinvent that team and players that have come into that squad. You have also got the experienced group who, a lot of them, have around 100 caps.

“They have replaced within that really well. It’s not luck, it’s not one team, it’s something that they have managed to keep doing. That has to be what all the smaller nations, the smaller populations, can aspire to and show what is possible.

“They have been right to the end of finals, not managed to win one, but they have been there or thereabouts on quite a few occasions. That would be the best case scenario for a lot of smaller nations. We have to look to that as an inspiration and try and get there.”

Scotland are winless in Group A1 with just two matches to go. It’s been a rough 12 months with just one win – against Gibraltar – in their last 16 games including a desperately disappointing Euro 2024 championship.

Eleven of those 16 games have come against higher-ranked sides though and Gordon is convinced Scotland are not