Scotland's 23y/o relishing Andy Robertson party and facing pal at World Cup - but position change ruled out

The 23-year-old Brentford defender was named in Steve Clarke’s 26-man Scotland squad for this summer’s major tournament this week. After suffering the agony of missing out on Euro 2024 due to injury, Hickey has battled bravely to ensure he is fully fit and ready to make his mark on the biggest stage in world football.

Following countless months of tireless rehabilitation, battling inner demons and being hit with various setbacks along the way, the former Hearts youngster wants to put that all behind him by helping the Tartan Army create history by reaching the knockout stage for the first time.

Before then, his full focus is fixed on sealing Europa League qualification with the Bees. In order to achieve that, the West London side must beat Liverpool at Anfield and hope that Chelsea and Brighton fail to win against Sunderland away and Manchester United home respectively. Easier said than done as Liverpool prepare to bid an emotional farewell to one of Hickey’s national team colleagues, Andy Robertson.

“Yeah, it will be a big game,” Hickey acknowledged. “We’ve got to beat Liverpool and then need a few other things to go in our favour. It is Robbo’s last game as well which will be nice. There should be a big send-off at full time for him and hopefully I can stay out for that. It would be nice to see him after the game and give him a hug and after that we can focus on the World Cup.

“I think whoever comes next in that position will have big boots to fill. He will be a big miss, especially as you don’t see what he does behind the scenes as well. He will be a miss, but we have other boys (in Scotland squad) who can do the job as well.

“He has been massive for Scotland, to have a player like him in the team is always nice, you look up to players like that. How well he has done, everything he has done over his career, so it is always good to have someone like that in the changing room. You can listen to them, and they can guide you as well, especially for me as he plays in the full back position. He speaks to the group, as well as individually, and tells us what we should do.

“But we can't just rely on Robbo. I think we've got to rely on ourselves as well. We've got other leaders in there, and I think it's just more we all know what we're here for and we all know what we want. But we all have to help out. It's a really special group. The boys, we're all really tight, get along great, stick by each other even when times are a bit hard and it's like a family.”

Hickey recalls past World Cup memories

Hickey has no recollection of France 98’. Born four years after Scotland’s last appearance at a World Cup Finals, he recalls growing up an avid sticker book collector. A few standout memories spring to mind from past tournaments.

“I can remember watching past World Cups and having a sticker book with my friends in the house, collecting them all, watching the games,” he stated. “It's a bit surreal now. I think, for me, it will feel even more surreal when you're actually on the plane going over to America.

“The one goal that stands out to me was (James) Rodriguez with the chest and the volley (for Colombia against Uruguay in 2014). For memory, I think it was the Brazil World Cup, that one stuck with me a lot. Also, the 7-1 game between Germany and Brazil. They’re my main kind of memories from previous World Cups, really.”

Hickey has yet to revisit old footage from Scotland’s adventure 28 years ago, but confirmed he plans on doing so over the coming weeks to seek an added source of inspiration heading into the tournament. “I'm pretty sure I have seen some clips before but I can't remember specifically,” he says. “I’ll need to definitely watch the old highlights again. I think that would be really nice.”

Served a timely reminder that Craig Brown’s squad took to field for the opening fixture against Brazil wearing tartan kilts, Hickey chuckled: “That’s class isn’t it? I think there was talk about us doing that again, but I'm not sure if it's happening.”

Fully fit Hickey eager to banish injury past and cement starting role

Nathan Patterson of Everton and Celtic’s Anthony Ralston will provide strong competition for a starting berth this summer, as head coach Steve Clarke opted to take a cautious approach by naming three right-back’s in his final roster due to Hickey and Patterson’s previous track record with injuries.

Friendlies against Curacao and Bolivia will present one last opportunity for Hickey, capped 19 times, to cement his place as one of the first names on Clarke’s team sheet by the time their opening group stage match against Haiti comes around on June 14.

Discussing the importance of the final warm-up fixtures and how he found out about his inclusion in the squad, a beaming Hickey said: “It felt amazing. It was one of the best feelings of my career to see it in black and white, your name up there. It’s the stuff of dreams and I was really happy when I saw it. To play for Scotland at a World Cup, it’s what you dream of so, yeah, major. My family were all calling to congratulate me, saying well done. It’s massive.

“Now that I'm back fit, I’m trying not to think about the past and just focus on the future. There's no point thinking back to it so I just try and push forward. Every day is a new day so that's the way I look at it and if I get the opportunity to play for my country I'll do everything I can to make it happen.

“We have got the friendlies before then, and it will be good to get more minutes in. Then it just comes down to the gaffer’s choice on who he wants to play. Obviously, I would like to do well in those games. But I feel good, personally. I'm training every day, doing well.”

Hickey not opposed to position change after ‘interesting’ outing vs Man City

Hickey may have added another weapon to his armoury after he was deployed by Brentford head coach Keith Andrews in an unfamiliar central midfield role against Manchester City earlier this month - a position he would not be opposed to occupying again for his Premier League side in the future.

“Yeah it was interesting,” he smiled. “Tough! But I enjoyed it. It was my first time playing centre mid professionally so I was looking forward to it. It’s a position the manager said he thinks I'm suited to because I can use both feet. That's a big attribute to have in the middle of the park, so he said ‘I’m going to try you out there’ and he put me in against City.

“To be fair, I'm happy to play wherever; left back, right back, centre mid, anywhere. As long as I'm playing I'm just trying to get minutes in wherever the manager wants to put me that's fine as long as I can get some minutes.”

Should John McGinn now be looking over his shoulder from a Scotland perspective? “Oh no, no he doesn't have to!” Hickey laughed.

Hickey will go head-to-head with a familiar foe in Miami when Scotland line-up against Brazil after his Brentford team-mate and in-form striker Igor Thiago was named in Carlo Ancelotti’s final 26-man squad.

“He's a nice guy and I'm happy for him that he's made the squad,” Hickey added. “I'm sure it means a lot to him like it does for everybody. He's a good player but yeah, it'll be nice to play against him. He was my player of the year this season. I think he's got 22 goals behind Erling Haaland. He likes to model himself on Haaland, loves a penalty. He’s a strong boy who likes to hold it up and he's awfully passionate which I think drives him a lot.”

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