Serie A midfielder hails Hearts winger Josh McPake after ‘positive’ Scotland debut

Scotland crashed to defeat to Slovenia this week - but a Serie A midfielder was buoyed by the impact Hearts winger Josh McPake made on his debut.

By Matthew Lindsay · The National

Published: Thursday, 8 October 2026 at 9:30 PM

Key Things to Know

Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson praised Hearts winger Josh McPake following his senior Scotland debut against Slovenia.
Scotland lost 2-1 to Slovenia at Hampden in their Nations League Group B1 fixture under manager Sebastien Pocognoli.
Ferguson also commended Rangers youngster Findlay Curtis for his energetic second-half performance as a substitute.

The Story in 60 Seconds

Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson praised Hearts winger Josh McPake following his international debut for Scotland in a Nations League match against Slovenia. Scotland suffered a 2-1 defeat at Hampden under new manager Sebastien Pocognoli, but Ferguson highlighted the positive impact made by second-half substitutes McPake and Rangers youngster Findlay Curtis.

Ferguson stated that McPake deserved his first cap after excelling for Hearts and commended the energy brought by both young wingers. The match also marked captain Andy Robertson winning his 101st cap, putting him on track to potentially surpass Sir Kenny Dalglish as Scotland's most capped player next month.

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Serie A midfielder hails Hearts winger Josh McPake after ‘positive’ Scotland debut

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