At the back end of last year, Findlay Curtis was not in Scotland Under-21s' squad for matches against Gibraltar and Bulgaria.

Now he is on the plane to the United States for this summer's World Cup.

Born on the opening day of the 2006 tournament, he is the youngest member of the Scotland squad that will take on Haiti, Morocco, and Brazil in Group C.

How has the 19-year-old propelled himself from the fringes at Rangers to the forefront of Steve Clarke's mind in six months?

The key moment came in January when Curtis left Ibrox to join struggling Kilmarnock on loan. After some bright performances at the start of the season for Rangers, both in Europe and domestically, he struggled for game time. In the six league matches before he moved to Ayrshire, Curtis played just 13 minutes.

However, under Neil McCann and Billy Dodds, who had coached him at Rangers the previous season, Curtis was handed a pivotal role. He scored five goals in 14 appearances for Kilmarnock, including four in his final five outings as the club escaped relegation.

“The staff, players, and I are absolutely delighted with this hugely positive news,” McCann said. “We all have an immense sense of pride in Fin earning his spot in Steve’s squad off the back of his time with us. He deserves this recognition for the levels he’s shown while on loan here. It’s also a feather in the cap of the football club, and highlights what we can do for players at Killie, no matter the stage of their development. Fin has been a breath of fresh air to work with, and we wish him nothing but the best with Scotland this summer.”

When Curtis signed, McCann’s side were 11th on 14 points, just three points above Livingston. They finished on 40 points in 10th, six clear of St Mirren in the relegation play-off spot and 19 above Livi.

Clarke watched Curtis in person multiple times in the second half of the season and was clearly impressed with what he saw. “Young players need to play football. If they want to improve, they have to play,” the Scotland head coach said. “Sometimes that can involve making big decisions. For Findlay to leave Rangers in January and go to Kilmarnock, and then you have the ability to back up that decision, things can work in your favour.”

He also chipped in with an assist during his time with Kilmarnock and showed a maturity beyond his years, shouldering a large share of the responsibility required in a relegation dogfight. Curtis is quick, direct, and evidently has an eye for goal—attributes that Scotland have lacked in recent years, especially when Ben Gannon-Doak has been absent.

His place in the Scotland squad is not a total surprise, given he was named in Clarke’s previous squad and made his debut against Japan in March, but his rise is a stunning one nonetheless.

  • Football
  • Scotland Men's Football Team
  • Scottish Football
  • Kilmarnock
  • Rangers