McTominay 'fit and ready' for Scotland's World Cup opener against Haiti, Clarke confirms

"He is in top condition and ready to go," Clarke said when questioned about the fitness of the Napoli midfielder, Scotland's standout performer.

McTominay, aged 29, is fresh from a season where he netted 14 goals across all competitions for the Serie A runners-up.

He has achieved iconic status in Scotland following his sensational overhead kick in the pivotal 4-2 victory against Denmark last November, which secured the team's place at their first World Cup since 1998.

However, Clarke is keen not to burden the versatile former Manchester United star with excessive pressure ahead of the Group C opener in Boston.

"I believe I have 26 superstars in this squad. It would be unfair to place so much expectation on a single individual. Everything we have achieved over the past seven years has been built on the squad, the team, everyone being united and contributing at key moments," Clarke said.

McTominay has been deployed in various positions for Scotland, but is expected to feature as an attacking midfielder during the World Cup.

"Some foolish coach slotted him in at centre-half five years ago, but clearly he is not a centre-half," Clarke added.

'Avoid a thrashing'

"Since he has moved further up the pitch, he has been excellent for us. We are thrilled with Scott's talents and what he contributes to the team, but we will need another 15 players to do likewise if we hope to have a successful tournament."

Scotland must make a strong start as they strive to progress beyond the group stage of a World Cup for the first time, with Morocco and Brazil, ranked seventh and sixth globally respectively, still to play.

Qualifying for this tournament follows Scotland's participation in the last two European Championships, from both of which they were eliminated in the group stage without a single win.

"The previous two tournaments did not unfold as we hoped, but we now have another opportunity, and it is a testament to the players that they continue to qualify for these major events. It is wonderful to be here, but we also aim to achieve something remarkable," Clarke said.

The experienced 62-year-old manager has been in charge since 2019 and recently signed a contract extension lasting until 2030.

He was asked what lessons the team could take from the opening matches of the last two European Championships, notably in 2024 when they were heavily beaten 5-1 by hosts Germany in the tournament's first game.

"The Germany one is easy, don't get battered," he joked.

"The way we began that tournament, we let ourselves down, and that negative feeling lingers over the entire event."