PROMISING Hamilton Academical youngster George Stanger could be the latest international starlet Scotland miss out on after an eye-catching performance at the Under-20 World Cup.
The 6ft 3in centre-back wrangled £4.5million Norway and Red Bull Salzburg striker Erling Haland as the All Whites kept a clean sheet in their 2-0 victory over the Scandinavians to secure a last-16 spot in Poland.
The 18-year-old's international call-up came on the back of a string of impressive UEFA Youth League performances during the Accies' run to the second knockout round against some of Europe's leading academy sides.
And the worry for the Tartan Army is the Melrose-born defender will stick with New Zealand, qualifying through his Auckland-born mother Bid, rather than opting for his homeland.
🚀 This Gianni Stensness rocket launched 🇳🇿 @NZ_Football into their third consecutive #U20WC Round of 16.
— FIFA.com (@FIFAcom) 27 May 2019
What a screamer! 😱 pic.twitter.com/0Yeej6wOXO
It would not be the first time Scotland have overlooked a Hamilton academy product and had their fingers burnt, with the well-publicised decision of James McCarthy to declare for Republic of Ireland in 2011.
With the current focus on the tug-of-war between England and Scotland youth set-ups over Celtic wonderkid Karamoko Dembele, it may be that Stanger's status flies under the radar at Hampden.
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