Scotland defender Liam Cooper says the national team’s Euro 2020 experience has made them even more determined to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Qatar.
The Scots sit second in Group F ahead of Saturday’s qualifier against Israel at a sold-out Hampden Park.
A victory would be a major step towards securing second spot and a play-off place for next year’s finals.
After qualifying for Scotland’s first major tournament since 1998 by reaching this summer’s Euros, Leeds United centre-half Cooper says there is a burning desire within Steve Clarke’s squad to make it to next year’s football extravaganza.
He said: “The Euros was unbelievable. We have had a taste of it now.
“We want to go and play in the biggest tournament in the world.
“We have another big chance.
“We have a massive game at home at the weekend.
“It is a sell-out and I think that is the proof of what we are doing.
“It is the first time in a long time we have managed to sell Hampden out and that speaks volumes about what everyone at Scotland has done to get to this point.
“We have to pay back this loyalty. We have to go and put a big performance on and try to get out of this group and get to a play-off and hopefully another major tournament.”
Clarke’s squad head into the match on the back of last month’s morale-boosting 1-0 win in Austria, which has put the Scots in the driving seat to finish second behind runaway group leaders Denmark.
Cooper said: “That result means nothing if we don’t now go and win these next two games.
“It was an unbelievable result, and if you want to do anything in the group you need to beat those so-called better teams in the group.
“We’ve managed to do that in Vienna. It was an unbelievable result, but it’s in the past now.
“That would be a waste if we don’t go and win these next two games, and that’s all we are focused on doing.”
This will be the seventh meeting between Scotland and Israel in the past three years and Cooper feels he knows exactly what to expect from Saturday’s opponents.
He said: “The good thing for us is that there’s not too much analysing to do. We know how they play.
“I think 70 or 80 percent of the squads I’ve been in we’ve played Israel!
“We don’t have to over-analyse too much. We know what they are all about and that’s the same for them.
“The games have always been tight against them. I don’t think I can remember a game off the top of my head when there’s been more than one goal in it.
“May the better team win. We’ll be coming with everything, we’ve got a full Hampden behind us and it’s going to be a very good spectacle I think.”
Cooper, meanwhile, has backed the introduction of VAR (video assistant referees) in Scottish football.
SPFL clubs will meet this Friday to discuss the technology’s introduction in all top tier games and the latter rounds of cup competitions.
Cooper said: “I think it adds to the game.
“As professionals we all crave the right results, and the right outcome.
“I have been involved in a couple of decisions. There was the penalty (against Everton), having seen it back it probably was a penalty, but there was definitely two players at it.
“I was sent off away at Man City last year because of VAR, but on my behalf I won the ball and came into contact with Gabriel Jesus afterwards. I am not sure how you stop momentum when you go and win a tackle, but these things are never going to be perfect.
“We all crave the right decision. More times than not VAR does that. It is just hard to get used to at the start. I think everyone would welcome better decisions in the game.”
