Scotland departed for the World Cup on Sunday morning, ending a 24-year absence from the tournament since 1998. The squad flew to Florida for their training base as they prepare for their first World Cup appearance in a generation. This represents a significant moment for Scottish football, with the team finally returning to the global stage after years of qualification struggles.

Head coach Steve Clarke expressed his ambitions for the tournament, stating this is the third tournament for this group and they want to be the first Scottish team to reach the knockout stage. The coach emphasized the team's tournament experience and hopes to make it a summer to remember for Scottish fans. The squad carries the weight of a nation as they seek to build on recent positive performances.

The squad suffered a blow with Billy Gilmour ruled out after injuring himself in Saturday's friendly win over Curacao. Manchester United's Tyler Fletcher, 19, replaces the Napoli midfielder. Clarke expressed his devastation for the young midfielder, noting it's particularly tough for such an injury to happen in the send-off game. The team now faces the challenge of adapting to this late change as they prepare for tournament action.