John Swinney 'very optimistic' about Scotland's World Cup hopes

The First Minister said he is “very optimistic and very excited” ahead of the national team’s opener against Haiti in Massachusetts.

He voiced his support during a visit to Hampden Park in Glasgow, where he spoke with youth footballers and toured the stadium’s football museum.

First Minister John Swinney meets players from the Youth National Squads (Image: Jeff J Mitchell/PA Wire)

Mr Swinney said: "I’ve never seen Scotland in the World Cup, other than at home.

"I’m looking forward to being there, I can scarcely believe that I’m actually going to be at a World Cup game that Scotland’s going to be playing, and it’s part of an exciting moment for the country.

"I think everyone has been looking forward to this after the success against Denmark and the certainty of qualification and, of course, the events leading up to this are significant."

He will travel to the US for the competition, where Scotland will face Haiti at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on June 13.

Swinney later put on a Scotland jersey and posed in front of the new Scott McTominay mural outside Hampden.

First Minister John Swinney during a visit to the Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park in Glasgow. (Image: Jeff J Mitchell/PA Wire)

Asked about Scotland’s chances of winning the first three games, he said: "I think we’ve got really good prospects, we’ve got a great squad.

"As I watched them play on Saturday, I thought they were demonstrating a lot of precision and they were working very much together.

"There was a huge level of energy in the team.

"It was a swelteringly hot night, and they were performing really well in those conditions.

"So, I go into this very optimistic… that the team’s got great chances, great prospects, great strength, and, crucially, they are working together, and Scotland is right behind them."