McGinn rejects undroppable tag ahead of 92nd Scotland cap

John McGinn does not think he is undroppable for Scotland. He said so in Skopje as he stood one game from 92 caps and third place on the country's all-time appearance list.

McGinn had 91 caps when he spoke before Saturday's match in Skopje. A cap is an international appearance. One more will take him to 92, while captain Andy Robertson will win his 100th cap over the same weekend, according to BBC Sport.

It is a plain message from a senior player. McGinn said he does not see himself as an automatic pick. No sulking. No guarantees.

His Scotland story started against Denmark in 2016. He was 31 when he spoke in Skopje and turns 32 later in October. The Aston Villa captain now serves as Scotland vice-captain.

The numbers tell their own tale. McGinn sits fifth on Scotland's all-time scoring chart, one goal behind Lawrie Reilly. His goal against Haiti at the World Cup ended a Scotland drought of nearly two years.

BBC analysis suggested he could do with finding his best form again for Scotland. That context matters. Scotland need their experienced players at full tilt, and McGinn did not hide from it.

He has been a constant. He played every minute of Scotland's 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. He moved into the top five most-capped Scottish men last autumn with 81 caps, and Kenny Dalglish still holds the overall record.

At club level, his stock has risen too. He became Villa's all-time top European scorer with 12 goals, and Villa ended a 30-year wait for silverware by winning the Europa League in May.

What makes this stand out is the tone. Two landmarks in one weekend could have brought big talk. Instead McGinn talked about earning the next game.