Kenny McLean

2.1. St Mirren

At eighteen years old, McLean made his senior debut for St Mirren on 17 October 2010, coming on as a substitute in a 2-2 draw against Hamilton Academical. His manager, Danny Lennon, noted that McLean's "drive and energy" helped turn the game around. Three days later, McLean made his first start for St Mirren in a 3-0 loss to Hearts. He quickly signed a three-year contract extension, committing him to the club until 2014. On 16 November, he made his first home start against Celtic, expressing his amazement at playing against some of the country's best players just six months after being in a Second Division relegation play-off. He finished the 2010-11 season with 23 appearances.

During the 2011-12 season, McLean emerged as one of the top young talents in the SPL. His first game of the season was on 6 August, in a 1-1 draw against Dundee United, entering as an 80th-minute substitute. He consistently played in the first team and was in excellent form, scoring his first senior goal on 29 October in a 1-0 win over St Johnstone. This performance earned him the SPL Young Player of the Month award for October 2011. Teammate Gary Teale likened McLean to former Rangers and Scotland captain Barry Ferguson, praising his maturity and talent. English Championship clubs Burnley and Crystal Palace, as well as Celtic, reportedly showed interest, but Lennon expressed his reluctance to sell McLean given his long-term contract. On 19 November, McLean scored his second goal for St Mirren in a 2-1 win against Dunfermline Athletic, followed by another goal on 10 December in a 2-2 draw against Aberdeen. He was one of four players nominated for the SPL Young Player of the Year Award. In January 2014, McLean underwent knee surgery, sidelining him for six weeks. Despite speculation about his departure, he signed a two-year contract extension with St Mirren on 2 July 2014.

2.2. Arbroath (loan)

In December 2009, McLean moved on loan from St Mirren to Second Division club Arbroath to help cover for injuries, joining alongside Kilmarnock striker Daniel McKay. He made his debut for Arbroath on 12 December in a 4-3 loss to Stirling Albion. Shortly after, his St Mirren teammate Kyle Faulds also joined Arbroath on loan. McLean scored his only goal for Arbroath on 10 April, a penalty kick, in a 4-2 loss against Stirling Albion. He made a total of 23 appearances during the latter half of the 2009-10 season. Arbroath was relegated to the Third Division at the season's end after losing to Forfar Athletic in the relegation play-off. McLean later stated that his loan spell at Arbroath was crucial for his development as a player and helped him mature.

2.3. Aberdeen

McLean signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Aberdeen on 2 February 2015, for a reported transfer fee of around 300.00 K GBP. He made his debut for the club the following weekend in a league game against Ross County, which Aberdeen won 4-0. His first goal for Aberdeen came on 16 July 2015, in a 3-0 away win against HNK Rijeka in the second qualifying round first leg of the Europa League. McLean scored his first league goal for Aberdeen in a 1-0 victory over Dundee United on the opening day of the 2015-16 season.

In November 2017, McLean confirmed he would not be renewing his Aberdeen contract upon its expiration the following summer. He helped the team finish as runners-up in the 2017-18 Scottish Premiership, a position they achieved in each of his four campaigns with the club. McLean departed Aberdeen having made 158 appearances and scored 25 goals during his tenure at Pittodrie, which included the loan period after signing with Norwich.

2.4. Norwich City

McLean was transferred to Norwich City in January 2018, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract. He was immediately loaned back to Aberdeen for the remainder of the 2017-18 season. Upon joining Norwich for the 2018-19 season, McLean missed a portion of his initial season in English football due to an ankle ligament injury. In December 2018, he expressed his determination to prove his capabilities in English football. He returned to the team and played a part in helping Norwich secure promotion to the Premier League as winners of the 2018-19 EFL Championship. His enthusiastic title celebrations, where he humorously addressed supporters as the "Mayor of Norwich" while wearing a ceremonial hat and holding a bottle of fortified wine, garnered media attention. Following this success, he signed an improved contract with Norwich City in June 2019.

In his first Premier League season (2019-20), McLean scored his first Premier League goal on 14 September 2019, netting the opening goal in Norwich City's surprising 3-2 victory over Manchester City. In September 2023, McLean signed a contract extension that committed him to the club until the end of the 2025-26 season, with an option for an additional one-year extension. In November 2023, he publicly defended manager David Wagner amidst a difficult period where the team had secured only one point from a possible eighteen. In January 2024, McLean stated his desire to improve his goal-scoring record. By February 2024, he was recognized for his role in the club's upturn in results. He was named Norwich City's Player of the Season for the 2023-24 season.

3.1. Youth career

McLean received his first call-up to the Scotland under-19 squad in October 2010. He made his debut on 11 October, coming on as a 58th-minute substitute in a 4-2 victory over Norway. In March 2011, he was called up to the under-21 team, making his debut from the bench as Scotland defeated Belgium 1-0. He was notably not selected for a 2013 European Under-21 Football Championship qualification match against the Netherlands in November 2011, a decision that surprised his St Mirren manager, Danny Lennon, given McLean's strong form among midfielders of his age group at the time.

3.2. Senior career

McLean received his first call-up to the senior Scotland squad in March 2016 for a friendly match against the Czech Republic. He made his debut in this match, playing 57 minutes. He received another call-up in October 2017 for a friendly match against the Netherlands. McLean scored his first international goal for Scotland in March 2019, contributing to a 2-0 away victory against San Marino.

He scored the decisive penalties in shootout victories against Israel and Serbia, which secured Scotland's qualification for UEFA Euro 2020 via the play-offs. However, McLean tragically missed the tournament itself due to a knee ligament injury sustained in the final game of the 2020-21 EFL Championship season.

In June 2023, McLean scored the winning goal in a crucial UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match against Norway. On 7 June 2024, McLean was named in Scotland's squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 finals held in Germany. A week later, he appeared as a 67th-minute substitute for John McGinn in the tournament's opening match, where Scotland suffered a 5-1 defeat to hosts Germany. He subsequently came on as a substitute in matches against both Switzerland and Hungary, as Scotland finished bottom of Group A with one point from three matches. Following the tournament, he expressed that his national teammates were "desperate" to improve their results.

5.1. Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

5.2. International

Appearances and goals by national team and year

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.