John Souttar wows BBC Pundit in Scotland win v Greece – ‘Immense’
Rangers star John Souttar started in Scotland’s 1-0 victory over Greece in the UEFA Nations League and has earned plaudits for his display.
The centre-back put in a monstrous shift as Scotland withstood heavy pressure to secure a win and clean sheet away in Greece after Scott McTominay’s first-half penalty gave the visitors the lead.
Souttar lined up next to Grant Hanley and Anthony Ralston, and delivered a superb performance in the back line. Whilst some accused Scotland of riding their luck, the brilliance of Souttar helped play a part in securing a vital win.
The Rangers defender was widely praise across the media for a towering performance, especially amid heavy second-half pressure.
Rangers star John Souttar praised by Willie Miller after Scotland win
Speaking on BBC Scotland after the game, former Scotland defender Willie Miller highlighted the performances of Souttar and Hanley at centre-back as vital to their team’s victory.
“It was incredible how dominant Greece were in the second half and how well Scotland defended,” the former Aberdeen centre-back stated.
| Stat | John Souttar |
| Appearances | 32 |
| Minutes | 2,691 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Yellow cards | 4 |
“Souttar and Hanley at the heart of defence were immense – they were giants out there. Anything crossed in was a magnet for Hanley’s head.
“We rode our luck a little bit, but there’s many ways to win a game.”
Souttar impresses for Rangers and Scotland
Souttar has had an outstanding few weeks for Rangers and Scotland.
The defender played every minute of both legs in Rangers’ Europa League victory over Fenerbahce, before starting at Celtic Park as his side won a dramatic Old Firm clash.
The 28-year-old has firmly established himself as a starter for Rangers and Scotland, and he has quickly found his form again after missing several weeks of action with injury.
The former Hearts defender has settled well at Ibrox, and is now a key player ahead of Robin Propper in the pecking order.
Souttar’s contract at Rangers expires at the end of next season, but if he continues his current form, there will be a lot of merit in handing him a new deal in the coming months.
Despite having to change shape for club and country, having played in a back three at Rangers before settling into a back four with Scotland, Souttar’s performance levels did not drop, which will make him particularly useful for whoever takes charge of Rangers at the end of the season.