Lawrence Shankland has opened up about the whirlwind few weeks that saw him seal a dream move to Rangers while preparing for the World Cup with Scotland. The striker, who scored a double against Curacao and another against Bolivia in warm-up matches, admits the tournament excitement helped him move on from Hearts' last-day title heartbreak.
High Standards and Missed Chances
Despite scoring in the 4-0 win over Bolivia, Shankland was frustrated to miss a second-half chance. “I should have had two goals. The cross from Kieran Tierney was perfect, but I steered it wide. As a striker, you have to be prepared to miss, but it still annoys me,” he said. Scotland boss Steve Clarke revealed the forward was gutted in the dressing room after the game.
Emotional Rollercoaster
Shankland reflected on the ups and downs: “There’s been a lot of madness in the last couple of weeks. From the disappointment at Celtic Park to joining Rangers, and then the World Cup buzz. You have to move quickly in football. I’m excited for the tournament and in a good place.”
He added that the World Cup focus helped him park the title loss: “When you have a World Cup to look forward to, you can move on fast. I’ve not had time to overthink things.”
Striker Partnerships
Shankland has formed promising partnerships with Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes in recent games. “Che and I work well together. He can play on the shoulder or drop in. It brings a different dimension. I prefer playing as a two up front, but it depends on the pairing,” he explained.
World Cup Focus
Looking ahead to the opener against Haiti, Shankland is confident but cautious. “We know it’s been 30 years since Scotland won a World Cup game, but we feel ready. Haiti will be a step up from Bolivia, but we’ve prepared well. The excitement among the boys is brilliant.”
The striker is taking nothing for granted regarding his starting spot, but his recent form suggests he is Clarke’s first-choice forward.
