30 Facts About Kenny McLean

Kenneth McLean was born on 8 January 1992 and is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder or left midfielder for EFL Championship club Norwich City and the Scotland national team.

Kenny McLean represented Scotland at the under-19 and under-21 international levels before making his debut for the senior Scotland team in 2016.

Kenny McLean was born in Rutherglen and attended Cathkin High School in Cambuslang.

Kenny McLean spent time with the youth setups of both Aberdeen and Rangers as a schoolboy.

Kenny McLean moved on loan from St Mirren to Second Division club Arbroath in December 2009.

Kenny McLean has said that his loan spell at Arbroath helped him develop as a player and to become more mature.

However, The Herald noted that Kenny McLean's "drive and energy" lifted St Mirren and helped them to turn the game around and get a draw.

Kenny McLean then played regularly in the first team over the next few months and was in excellent form.

Kenny McLean was one of the four players nominated for the SPL young Player of the Year Award.

In January 2014 it was announced that Kenny McLean would be out-of-action for 6 weeks following knee surgery.

On 2 July 2014 it was announced that Kenny McLean had a signed a two-year contract extension with the club, following much speculation that he would leave the club in the summer.

In November 2017, Kenny McLean confirmed that he would not be renewing his Aberdeen contract when it expired the following summer.

Kenny McLean was sold in January 2018 to Norwich City, who loaned him back to Aberdeen for the rest of the season.

Kenny McLean was not selected for the Scotland under-21 team to play in a 2013 European Under-21 Football Championship qualification match against the Netherlands on 14 November 2011.

St Mirren manager Danny Lennon expressed his surprise at Kenny McLean being left out of the squad.

Kenny McLean received his first call-up to the senior Scotland squad in March 2016 for a friendly match against Czech Republic, making his debut by playing 57 minutes.

Kenny McLean was called up again in October 2017 for a friendly match against the Netherlands.

Kenny McLean scored the winning penalties as Scotland beat Israel and Serbia in shootouts to secure qualification for UEFA Euro 2020 via playoffs.

In June 2023, Kenny McLean scored the winning goal in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match against Norway.

On 7 June 2024, Kenny McLean was named in Scotland's squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 finals in Germany.

Kenny McLean went on to appear as a substitute against both Switzerland and Hungary as Scotland finished bottom of Group A with one point from three matches.

Kenny McLean later said that his national teammates were "desperate" to improve results.

Kenny McLean's favoured position is as a central midfielder, but he can play as a left midfielder.

Kenny McLean has said that he favours playing in the centre because he can get more of the ball and influence play more than when he is on the left.

Kenny McLean is a naturally attacking player and when playing in the centre he makes runs to and beyond the striker which adds an extra dimension to his team's play.

Teale said that Kenny McLean had shown incredible maturity at such a young age and that from their first training session together he could see Kenny McLean's talent.

Kenny McLean has an excellent first touch and is very composed and assured on the ball.

Kenny McLean has very high energy, work rate and athleticism which enable him to make many attacking runs.

Kenny McLean's manager at St Mirren, Danny Lennon, said that he thought Kenny McLean was an excellent passer and that he could "open a tin of beans" with his left foot and was decent with his right.

Lennon said that Kenny McLean was a rare type of Scottish player because he was always looking for a 'slide-rule' pass and he was actually capable of delivering them.