Ryan Porteous back in Scotland squad after Welsh injury
Ryan Porteous has been recalled to the Scotland squad, and he will be pleased to be back in the picture. The call-up came from manager Sebastien Pocognoli after Swansea City defender Stephen Welsh was injured. Welsh's absence opened a place, and Porteous was the man picked to fill it.
A recall means a player is called back into a squad after a gap. Porteous's previous appearance for his country, known as a cap, came against Greece in March 2025. Since then he has been away from the national team for a long stretch, and this is his chance to return.
The 29-year-old is from Dalkeith in Midlothian, just south of Edinburgh. He started out with the Hibernian Under-20s and went on loan to Edinburgh City, a temporary move to a club below the top level, to get regular games. A loan is a short spell at another club while the player stays under contract with his parent club.
He went on to play more than 150 games for Hibernian's first team, usually known as Hibs. He then moved south to Watford, where he made more than 80 appearances in the English Championship. His career has also taken him across the Atlantic. He has made 52 appearances for Los Angeles, a club in Major League Soccer, the top league in the United States. Los Angeles are described as cross-town rivals of LA Galaxy, so the games between them carry extra edge in the city.
Centre-back is a position that asks for calm under pressure. Defenders are judged on how they deal with a fast forward, how they read a dangerous pass, and how they win the ball in the air. Porteous has spent much of his career in those roles, which is why a squad place for a centre-back can come quickly when a team loses one.
For Scotland, the recall is a reminder of the depth needed across a squad. Injuries rarely come at a good time, and they are a test of who is ready to step in. For Porteous, the message is simple. He has been away from the squad for a while, and now he has the chance to earn his place back.
Full details of Scotland's next match and whether Porteous will feature in it are not yet clear.
