- McLean is having the season of his life as the Scots prepare to take on Japan.
- World Cup Finals appearance will be a deserved reward for a stellar career
- Aged 34, he is now playing the finest football of his Norwich City career.
Long after the final whistle has blown on his career, Kenny will always be remembered for ‘that’ moment at Hampden Park.
And that’s great. Yet, I still believe there’s time for him to conjure up another equally magical Norwich City moment, akin to that header against Man City.
He’s now playing the best football of his career, so why not?
But tonight, he again steps onto that same turf, the scene of his greatest moment, as Scotland play Japan (KO 17:00) in what is now a World Cup warm-up game.
The goal that shook a nation
Kenny has always been a steady, reliable member of the Scotland squad, but never reached icon status. Not even close to it in truth. But that all changed on that cold November night when Scotland need a win over Denmark to win their place in this summer’s finals.
To win would mean the Scots’ first World Cup appearance since 1998 and it was all on the line. In a topsy-turvy game, they were winning 3-2 but as the clock ticked into the red, it was getting twitchy.
The tension at Hampden was suffocating.
But then Kenny’s moment arrived, and that chip from over 50 yards gracefully drifted over Kasper Schmeichel’s head and, once bounce later, landed in the net.
Pandemonium. We’ve all seen it. But McLean did far more than book himself a flight to North America that night; he etched his name in Scottish folklore alongside the likes of Archie Gemmill.
Tonight vs Japan
Tonight’s friendly against Japan is the first major litmus test for Steve Clarke’s men since qualification, as they prepare for a tough World Cup group that includes Brazil (it always does for Scotland).
Hopefully. Kenny will be there in his role of ‘elder statesman’, both tonight and in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Tonight will be interesting though, against a technically proficient and high-pressing Japanese side, who many consider to be their strongest ever. It will be a huge test for Scotland and give them an idea of what to expect in the summer.
The ‘Mayor’ rules Carrow Road
While his international stock has never been higher, City fans have known about his quality for years, even if he’s not always been universally appreciated by all of the time (ahem).
On his bad days, he tends to give the ball away a little too readily, but those days are now rarer than hen’s teeth. His 2025-26 season has been different class. The best of his career.
- Consistency: He has been a virtual ever-present for the Canaries this season, racking up over 3,000 minutes of Championship football.
- Stats: With an average rating of 7.2, he is one of the most efficient deep-lying midfielders in the division. He ranks in the 97th percentile for touches among Championship midfielders. He is our heartbeat.
- Skipper’s influence: Since taking the armband, he’s become an even better all-rounder and, this season, his defensive work has spiked, with 180 ‘recoveries’.
When he first arrived at Carrow Road, he was seen as a goal-scoring midfielder, but he’s edged deeper over the years and is now, effectively, an all-action ‘quarterback’ type.
At 34, he’s not just surviving, he’s thriving. Like a fine wine.
Let’s hope he continues to thrive over the next seven games, stays fit, and then goes on to have the summer of his life.
What a man!
