Six gamers from the Scotland squad that travelled to Germany this summer time hail initially from exterior of Caledonia. The one who might shock you probably the most is Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney, who was born on the Isle of Man.

Tierney would transfer to Wishaw as an toddler, nonetheless, and from right here his love for soccer would blossom right into a profession, taking part in for boyhood heroes Celtic, earlier than finishing a then-record switch for a Scottish participant in 2019 to Premier League title chasers Arsenal.

Previous to becoming a member of Celtic’s academy, Tierney signed for considered one of his native groups, Netherton Boy’s Membership, the place he performed as a left midfielder, a place he took up inside Celtic’s academy when he signed for them at simply seven years of age.

It was a no brainer for him to affix the membership he grew up supporting, however he was made to work onerous to be saved on, with critical different profession paths being appeared into within the case that soccer didn’t fairly work out.

Tierney’s golden alternative got here via the technique of a coaching session late into then-manager Ronny Deila’s first marketing campaign after they wanted an additional physique to assist out with the primary workforce. It sounds unbelievable to consider now, however Tierney was fifth within the pecking order of left-backs, but all of these forward of him, excluding first-choice Emilio Izaguirre, had left Lennoxtown to journey to an U20s fixture. This offered Tierney with an opportunity to impress and finally led to his breakout season in 2015-16, throughout which he made his debut for Scotland in a 1-0 win over Denmark at Hampden, alongside fellow debutant John McGinn.

Tierney exceeded any expectation set of him, establishing himself as Celtic’s first-choice left-back throughout a interval of unprecedented success, while additionally filling in as a left-sided centre-half when wanted, from which he scored arguably the very best aim of his profession when he discovered the highest nook from 40 yards towards Kilmarnock in a cup affair.

Tierney would make the robust choice to name time on his Celtic profession when he signed for Arsenal in the summertime of 2019 for a reported document price of £25m. He would play an necessary function in delivering FA Cup success for the Gunners, taking part in within the closing at an empty Wembley Stadium in 2020 below the stewardship of former Rangers midfielder Mikel Arteta, earlier than a mortgage spell to mainland Europe with La Liga aspect Actual Sociedad final season which seen Tierney taking part in Champion’s League soccer as soon as once more, in addition to a memorable efficiency on the Santiago Bernabeu towards eventual league winners Actual Madrid.

Tierney has featured in each of Steve Clarke’s squads at main tournaments for the nationwide aspect and has been an enormous a part of the way in which that Clarke units up, along with his overlapping runs from the left aspect of a again three of centre-backs creating memorable moments, working example his play within the build-up to Scott McTominay’s targets within the 2-0 win towards Euro winners Spain in qualifying.

The Isle of Man native has had his profession interrupted by accidents, and had his Euro 2024 ended abruptly after being compelled off within the draw with Switzerland, and is in between a rock and a tough place on the present minute as it’s but to be seen if Mikel Arteta will go for Tierney’s Ukrainian counterpart Oleksandr Zinchenko for the upcoming season or if there might be one other mortgage transfer on the playing cards. Nonetheless, with over 350 senior appearances below his belt and nonetheless solely 27, he’s certain to be a significant participant each for Scotland and wherever he might ply his commerce because the 24/25 season nears shut.