'I feel a lot stronger mentally' - Hickey on Scotland return

World Cup qualifying: Denmark v Scotland

Venue: Parken, Copenhagen Date: Friday, 5 September Kick-off: 19:45 BST

Coverage: Watch live on BBC Scotland, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app, text updates on BBC Sport website & app, listen on BBC Radio Scotland & Sounds

Aaron Hickey has already packed a lot into his footballing life at 23.

A Scottish Cup final with Heart of Midlothian at 16, a move to Italy with Bologna, where he became the first Scot to score in Serie A since Graeme Souness in the 1980s, a £14m switch to the Premier League with Brentford.

Then came a long, and at times lonely, pause. Nearly two years out of action.

It has been an agonising road to recovery after a recurring hamstring injury required two separate surgeries.

One of the things that sustained him along that painful path back to full fitness was the thought of pulling on a Scotland jersey again.

"I had to go through a lot, to be honest," Hickey told BBC Scotland. "Every day in the gym is not easy at all.

"Working away, having to keep myself positive, to earn a call-up for Scotland again, that's what all this hard work is for.

"Every young player wants to play for their country and that was one of the big aims for me again."

Hickey returns to the national fold before he has even completed 90 minutes for his club.

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke is delighted to welcome back the versatile defender, although he has made it clear his time on the pitch will be carefully managed for the opening World Cup qualifying double-header away to Denmark and Belarus.

"It gives me a lot of confidence that the manager wants me back in the team as soon as possible," Hickey said.

"He's been good for me during my rehab. He stayed in touch and was always giving me motivation to get back in the squad.

"At the club, you see the same people every day. It's good that someone from the national team, especially the manager, checks up on you. That spurred me on.

"Whether I play or not, just to be involved again is an amazing feeling.

"I feel ready. I've had a full pre-season, played in games, got my first start in the cup. I feel like I'm a lot stronger mentally.

"You see things differently when you've been out for a long time. You don't take anything for granted. My head's in a good place."

Hickey was a stand-out in the successful Euro 2024 qualifying campaign when Scotland won their first five matches.

With the likes of Serie A's most valuable player, Scott McTominay, in the ranks, along with Hickey's former schoolmate, Ben Doak, fresh from a multi-million pound move to Bournemouth, can Scotland hope to end their long wait for a World Cup place?

"You've got to believe in yourself," Hickey said. "I'm pretty sure all the other players know that we can do it - it's just about believing in the team.

"It goes along with the fans getting right behind us, as they help us massively in every game.

"We have a lot of good individuals. We just all need to combine together and work hard for each other."

For Hickey and the rest of the squad, it would not just be a case of ending a 28-year exile from the greatest show on earth. He is very clear about what it would mean to him to get to the Americas in the summer of 2026.

"It's everything that I've worked for," he said. "I'm pretty sure it's everyone's dream to play in a World Cup. It would be the proudest moment of my career."

It would be extra-sweet given one of his lowest points was having to miss out on last year's Euro finals in Germany.

"I was close to coming back and then I had another problem," he explained. "That was gutting for me.

"But you need to have lows to have highs. This has been one of my lows, with the injury - now I'm aiming for some highs. Qualifying for the World Cup, playing for Scotland, playing for Brentford. Just to be back playing."