James Forrest has no intention of drawing a line under his international career, with the Celtic winger still harbouring hope of featuring at a World Cup.

Now 34, Forrest has been a mainstay at the Hoops for over a decade and remains the club’s most decorated player, with an incredible 26 major honours to his name.

Despite his domestic success, the World Cup remains a glaring omission on his CV. The winger has earned 39 caps for Scotland and was part of Steve Clarke’s squads for both the 2021 and 2024 European Championships, but has yet to feature on the world’s biggest stage.

Scotland begin their qualification push for the 2026 World Cup in North America next month, facing Denmark and Belarus in a crucial double-header. While Forrest hasn’t featured for the national side since summer 2024, he’s not ruling out a return if called upon.

The experienced wide man was hampered by injury last season, but after a strong finish to the campaign with Celtic, he insists he remains available should Clarke need him again.

He said: (RecordSport), “I spoke to Steve Clarke a couple of times at the start of last season but then I got a really bad injury in December which kept me out for a few months.

“But the main thing for me has always been making sure I’m playing well for Celtic and then if Scotland comes along, great.

“But no, I’ve not spoken to Steve this season. I just want to do well for Celtic in the games coming up and then we’ll just kind of see from there.

“When I had the conversation with Steve last year, it was a good one. It was after I’d gone to the Euros and didn’t play. He said if he needed me, then he’d give me the call and it was just kind of left like that.

“So as I said, it’s always kind of open and I would never shut the door.”

Forrest remains realistic about his standing in the pecking order but has made it clear that he’s ready should the national manager require his services. His recent resurgence in form at club level showed there’s still plenty left in the tank.

He may no longer be a regular in Clarke’s plans, but the veteran winger’s experience and professionalism make him a valuable option. And with a long campaign ahead, opportunities could still arise.

As Scotland gear up for what promises to be a demanding qualification group, having someone of Forrest’s calibre waiting in the wings could prove useful. For now, his focus remains on Celtic, but the international dream hasn’t died just yet.