Lyndon Dykes, the Birmingham City striker, is motivated by his long-held ambition to play in a World Cup since he was a child. As an architect, he considers this feat to be the crowning achievement of his career. Dykes was only two years of age when Scotland last appeared at the World Cup in 1998. He’s one moment away from becoming a true trailblazer. Before long, he may be wearing his country’s colors in a prestigious tournament expected to be staged in North America next summer.
Dykes’ path to this extraordinary moment has not been easy. He picked up an injury in training on the eve of the tournament in Germany. This unexpected setback left him bedridden and unable to make the journey for his appearance. Despite this blow, he remains an important part of the current Scotland squad. He has now earned 46 international caps, scoring ten goals, including a stunning strike in his country’s 3-1 win over Greece last week.
A Journey of Resilience
Scotland’s recent successful qualification campaigns have been aided by Dykes’ goals and overall good form as a key-three forward. His contributions helped secure victories over Belarus twice, clinch a win against Greece at Hampden Park, and ensure a goalless draw against Denmark away from home. His talented displays have secured his place as one of Scotland’s most important forwards. He has now joined the ranks of the aforementioned Che Adams, George Hirst and Lawrence Shankland.
Reflecting on his aspirations, Dykes stated, “To play in a World Cup, personally, I never even thought I’d have the opportunity to do that.” This genuine emotion speaks to both McTominay’s love for the sport and the importance of donning Scotland’s colors on this illustrious stage.
He displays his deep love for the national team. After all, he wants to qualify for as many international tournaments as possible. “I want to play as many games for Scotland as possible. I want to make as many tournaments as possible and obviously missing out on the Euros was a big blow,” he shared, highlighting the impact of that missed opportunity.
Facing the Pressure
Dykes knows the burden of the expectations that accompany the privilege of competing at such lofty heights. Still, he believes in his team’s expertise. I wouldn’t say there’s any pressure right now. We’ve been successful in these group stages, we’ve provided automatic play-offs,” he said. His optimism comes from the way his team is playing lately and their success in winning a bid to this year’s NCAA tournament.
With the stage set for winner-take-all matches, Dykes expects to see a blend of enthusiasm and anxiety among the players. “When the time comes to it I’m sure boys and the whole squad will have a little bit of nerves coming into games because we know how big these games are,” he explained. This acknowledgment of pressure reflects his understanding of the stakes involved in international competition.
Dykes can still recall the pressure of the highly anticipated Serbia play-off for Euro 2020. That fateful moment challenged the mental toughness of the entire squad. “Previously being in that Serbia [play-off] for the first Euros, which seems a long time ago now, the pressure on that game was massive and we got through that as a team,” he said. This hard-won experience should serve them well as they look towards the future and the big questions to be answered.
Dreams of North America
In addition to returning to the court, the opportunity to compete in North America next summer is especially exciting for Dykes. The World Cup provides the greatest stage and biggest spotlight to highlight the artistry of this beautiful game. It’s an opportunity to make a lifelong dream come true. Philosophically, he views this moment as a deserved result of decades of work and commitment to excellence in the sport.
The excitement only continues to grow as Scotland prepares for their two most important qualifying games yet. Matches that will decide their future at next summer’s World Cup. As for Dykes, his primary concern is still to help QPR achieve their goals and make a successful impact in international football.
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