Famous Scottish Football Players

After representing teams such as Manchester City and Torino, Scottish footballer Denis Law had a successful stint with Manchester United. Known as The King, he was the only Scottish footballer to earn a Ballon d'Or and the only man to have 2 statues at the Old Trafford.

Liverpool left-back and the captain of the Scottish national football team, Andrew Robertson has also been associated with clubs such as Hull City and Dundee United in the past. He led his team to a UEFA Champions League victory in 2019. He now also runs a charitable foundation for underprivileged kids.

Martin Compston began his career as a footballer, playing as a defender for youth teams such as Aberdeen and then for senior teams such as Greenock Morton. However, an audition in high school led him to the lead role in the movie Sweet Sixteen, and he ended up becoming an actor.

Apart from winning the European Golden Boot twice, Scottish footballer Ally McCoist also gained fame as one of the best penalty-box strikers. He is best known for his 9 League Championship wins and 9 Scottish League Cups with the Rangers. He was also part of the 1990 World Cup finals.

Alan Hansen is a former footballer who played as a defender for popular clubs, such as Liverpool. He was also one of the important members of the Scotland national football team. After retiring as a player, Hansen became a football pundit and is known for his honest views. In 2006, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

Scottish footballer and Newcastle United winger Ryan Fraser began his career with Aberdeen at age 16. He has previously been part of teams such as AFC Bournemouth and Ipswich Town but has often been criticized for his lack of will to represent the Scottish national team, for withdrawing due to injuries.

Scottish-born footballer James McCarthy is now best known as a dependable Celtic midfielder. He also represents the Irish national team, because his grandparents were Irish. He has previously won an FA Cup with Wigan Athletic, beating Manchester City, and has also played for the English club Everton.

After an illustrious career that saw him play for teams such as Manchester City and Liverpool, Matt Busby did wonders as a manager, director, and president of Manchester United. The Scottish footballer also developed players later known as the Busby Babes, 8 of whom tragically died in the 1958 Munich air crash.

Former footballer Alex Neil began his career with the Airdrieonians and ended it with Hamilton Academical, even coaching the latter in his managerial career. He then took over the coaching of Norwich in his early 30s, and in his own words, made some recruitment errors, which led to his sacking.

Scottish-born footballer Scott Arfield has not only gained fame as a Rangers midfielder but has also been a promising player of the Canadian national team. He began his senior career with the Scottish club Falkirk and then represented clubs such as Burnley and Huddersfield Town. He has also captained Canada.

Scottish footballer Oliver Burke, who is now a well-know striker/right winger for Sheffield United, had joined his first local club at age 8. While he grew up in Leicestershire, England, he was eligible to play for England as well but chose to represent Scotland, the country of his birth, instead.

Initially representing teams such as the Rangers and Blackpool, Charlie Adam later gained fame as a midfielder for teams such as Liverpool, Stoke City, and Dundee. He also won a League Cup with Liverpool and was a UEFA Cup runner-up with the Rangers. His father, too, was a footballer.

Gordon Strachan is a Scottish football coach who has managed teams like Southampton Football Club, Middlesbrough Football Club, Celtic Football Club, and Scotland. A former player, Strachan represented his team in two FIFA World Cups. He also played for popular clubs like Manchester United.

A Leeds United center-back, footballer Liam Cooper also plays for the Scottish national team. Apart from winning an EFL Championship with Leeds United, he has also been part of the 2014 Football League Trophy final with Chesterfield. He now also owns a football academy for children aged 4 to 14.

Sheffield United midfielder John Fleck was a 16-year-old prodigy when he began his senior career with Rangers. In late 2021, he collapsed on field during a game versus Reading, sparking rumors that the mishap was due to the COVID vaccine that he had taken, though scientists debunked the vaccine claim later.

Scottish footballer and Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Ryan Gauld has also played for various Portuguese clubs before moving to the Canadian MLS club. Known as the Scottish Messi for his attacking style and short stature, he has also had a successful youth career at Dundee United.

Former footballer Derek McInnes began his youth career as a teen with the Greenock Morton and then went on to play for clubs such as Rangers, Dundee United, and St. Johnstone, and even for the Scottish national team. Post-retirement, he has been managing teams such as Aberdeen and Kilmarnock.

One of England’s most successful footballers, George Graham has also been one of his country’s best coaches. Nicknamed Stroller, he won a Football League Cup with Chelsea and an FA League Cup with Arsenal, as a player. He has earned an FA Cup and three League Cups as a manager, too.

Former footballer Kris Boyd gained fame as a forward, known for his strike rate, for teams such as Kilmarnock and Rangers. He has also represented the Scottish national team. Following his brother’s unexplained suicide in his late 20s, Boyd launched a charity to help people discuss mental-health issues.

Motherwell forward Tony Watt is best known for his successful stint with Celtic, with whom he played in the 2012-13 Scottish Premier League. He has also represented the Scottish national team. In late 2021, he signed a pre-contract deal with Dundee United, promising a 3-year stint with them in future.

Known for his almost 11-year stint with Manchester United and his 4 Premier League and 2 FA Cup wins, former footballer Brian McClair initially balanced his career at Motherwell with his university math degree studies. In late 2021, he stunned fans with a photo of his sporting a beard and long, gray hair.

Hibernian midfielder Scott Allan had started his youth football career with Dundee United at age 10. Not only was he diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in his youth, but he later also revealed that in late 2020, he was also diagnosed with a heart condition called Cardiomyopathy, which almost ended his career.

Former football forward James McFadden, who played for teams such as Motherwell and Everton, had made his first-team debut at age 17. Now a coach, he has managed the Scottish national team, apart from Motherwell. The Glasgow-born sports star is known by various nicknames, such as the Cul-de-sac Kid.

Known for the enthusiasm and energy with which he would throw himself at his opponents for saving goals, Scottish goalkeeper Bob Wilson became a star during his 11-year stint as an Arsenal player. He later became a coach and an analyst. Following his daughter’s death due to cancer, he launched an emotional-support charity.

Scottish footballer David Weir was initially scouted by the Indiana-based University of Evansville and was named an NCAA All-American. He later began his senior career with the Scottish club Falkirk and then moved on to Everton and Rangers. He has also coached Sheffield United, post-retirement.

Once one of the most feared central defenders of Scotland, footballer Colin Hendry is best known for his Premier League win with the Blackburn Rovers. He later also won titles, such as the Scottish League, with Rangers. Post-retirement, he turned coach and managed teams such as Blackpool and Clyde.

Widely known as Scotland’s first Black footballer, Andrew Watson was also the first Black player to play international association football. The son of a Guyanese woman and a Scottish plantation owner, he moved to Britain with his father as a child. He was also an engineer and a wholesale business owner.

Scottish footballer Steven Pressley, had a long career as a center back for teams such as Rangers, Celtic, and Dundee United. Post-retirement, he also coached teams such as Falkirk and Coventry City. He later became a prominent sports pundit and also joined Brentford as its head of individual development.

Initially a midfielder for Clyde, Scottish footballer Steve Archibald later did wonders as a striker for Aberdeen, leading them to win the 1979-80 Scottish Premier Division. His career saw him win titles for Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona, too. He later turned coach for Airdrieonians and East Fife.

Born to Scottish parents in Spain, Jack Harper began his youth football career with Fuengirola, before moving on to Real Madrid. However, he still continued to play for the Scottish international-level youth teams. It’s believed his parents moved to Spain on a camper van, after a 22-day road trip from Scotland.

Following a decade-long playing career with teams such as Celtic and Bath City, Scottish footballer Steve Kean turned to coaching, managing teams such as Reading, Fulham, and the Spanish team Real Sociedad. In late 2021, he joined Hibernian as its academy director. He was once banned from driving for DUI charges.

American football kicker Lawrence Tynes began his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and eventually played for teams such as the New York Giants and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The son of a US Navy Seal father and a Scottish mother, he grew up in Scotland till 10, before moving to the US.

Glasgow-born former Scottish footballer Paul Gallagher represented teams such as the Blackburn Rovers, Leicester City, and Preston North End. In mid-2021, it was announced that he would be assisting Preston head coach Frankie McAvoy. Gallagher also shows off his skills as a singer and a guitar player in his leisure time.

Graeme Sharp created history as the second-highest goalscorer for Everton and led them to win titles such as the FA Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup. A club ambassador, too, he joined the Everton board as a non-executive director in early 2022. He has also worked for the press and the radio.

Scottish footballer Ally MacLeod had an illustrious playing career with teams such as St. Mirren, Hibernian, and Blackburn Rovers, and played a significant role in the Rovers’ FA Cup final against the Wolverhampton Wanderers. He later managed teams such as Aberdeen, Motherwell, and Ayr United. He died after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s.

While he had a significant football playing career with teams such as Leicester City and Liverpool, Kevin MacDonald later gained fame as a coach for Swindon Town and Aston Villa. He was, however, suspended from Aston Villa in 2019, after allegations of bullying surfaced against him.