Tommy Conway highlights edge Middlesbrough give him in Scotland World Cup battle
Tommy Conway believes the pressure he's under at Middlesbrough gives him an edge in the battle to make Scotland's World Cup squad.
Tommy Conway believes playing under the pressure of Middlesbrough’s promotion battle can ‘only benefit’ his chances of making Scotland’s FIFA World Cup squad.
Conway has registered eight goals and four assists in 39 Championship appearances so far this season - with five goals and two assists coming since the turn of the year - to help Boro sit second in the table with just seven games remaining. That form has helped Conway earn a recall to Steve Clarke’s national team, after missing out on the previous three camps and the entire 2026 World Cup qualification campaign.
Boro pressure to aid Conway’s World Cup push?
The last of Conway’s six caps for Scotland came back in June 2025, when he provided an assist in a 4-0 friendly win over Liechtenstein. Now, he has an unexpected opportunity to make the plane to North America, and the 23-year-old forward believes the weekly strain of Boro’s push to reach the Premier League can only provide positive experience to the Scotland squad under the microscope of a World Cup campaign.
"We're doing well and I want to bring that winning mentality to Scotland and try and make my mark when I'm away at the international stage," Conway said. "I think playing with pressure every week is only going to benefit you and the experience you get from that. "You can then take that into playing for Scotland as well and, when you go to the World Cup, if I make it there, it's going to be pressure."
Conway relieved to be back in Scotland running
Conway’s recall to the Tartan Army was a welcome surprise at the end of a strong run of form at club level. However, the Boro forward is realistic; incredibly relieved to be given another shot to make the World Cup squad, when it seemed like his chance had gone.
"If I'm being completely honest, I knew I was going to have to be in this camp to have a real chance of going to the World Cup," he said. "I set myself targets and goals and I really did commit to the process ever since November, using it as fuel to make sure I got into this one. I've done that and almost that's like the first box ticked. The next box ticked is to get to the World Cup and I'm doing everything I can to get there. "I missed out on three camps and I'd be lying if you don't start to think, 'am I for Scotland anymore? What am I going to have to do to get back into the squad?'
“You have to feel like, 'I've been there before, so why can't I be there again? "I work every day to achieve targets that I set myself and playing for Scotland is the pinnacle for me."
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