Stewart: World Cup call made "dark days" worth the pain

The striker is one of two Saints marksmen to be taking part in this summer’s tournament, along with Canada’s Cyle Larin, a veteran of 90 caps.

For Stewart, the call-up was his first since the summer of 2022, when he won his first two caps in friendly internationals, and is perfectly timed as Scotland embark on their first World Cup since 1998.

“It’s a funny one because when it happened I just found out via email,” he said of the squad announcement. “I was just in the changing room looking through my emails about something else, and then saw that I’d been called up just five or 10 minutes before we were going out to train.

“It caught me off guard – a complete shock surprise. A think a few of the lads just saw that I was lost in space, but as I was telling them they were all buzzing for me.

“Obviously I’m buzzing as well now. Speaking to family was emotional – I’m just really looking forward to it.”

Stewart fell out of the international picture predominantly due to an injury-ravaged few seasons, but eight goals in his last 16 Saints appearances – including in the FA Cup quarter-finals against Arsenal and Championship play-offs against Middlesbrough – proved he was a man in form who “showed he can score big goals in big games,” according to Scotland boss Steve Clarke.

For Stewart, it represents a handsome reward for all the unseen rehabilitation work behind the scenes, setbacks and prolonged periods on the sidelines.

“I think with how the last few years went for me, they were nothing like what I wanted. It’s been really tough, with a lot of dark days, but this certainly makes up for it all,” he smiled.

“It’s probably something that has been in my head since the turn of the year. Managing to stay fit and grab goals, performances, it gives you hope.

“To get your name called out in that squad is a real feeling that makes those kinds of dark days that you work through worth doing.”

Scotland’s first World Cup match in 28 years will see them take on Haiti, who last qualified in 1974, in the early hours of Sunday 14th June (2am BST), before eye-watering clashes against Morocco (Friday 19th June, 11pm BST) and Brazil (Wednesday 24th June, 11pm BST).

The Tartan Army hit eight goals in two warm-up games, thrashing Curaçao (4-1) and Bolivia (4-0), as Stewart won his third cap as a substitute in the second of those in New Jersey.

“Every game at the World Cup is going to be special,” he added. “The whole of Scotland has probably got eyes on that Brazil one, but there are going to be two massive games before it. Every game is going to be so special, so to go there and be a part of it, whatever way that is, I’m really looking forward to it.

“It’s something that I’m going to remember forever. I’m just a bit speechless, it’s surreal.”