Greg Taylor talks Toulon ahead of Scotland's return trip

Wednesday 28 February 2018

At 20 years of age, Greg Taylor has got it all ahead of him.

But he’ll have to go some way to top THAT goal against Brazil.

Barely a week goes by when the Kilmarnock left-back isn’t reminded about his winning strike in last year’s Toulon tournament – the first time a Scottish side had ever beaten their Brazilian counterparts at any level.

It was an amazing thing to be involved in, a great tournament that was televised all over the world. It gave us a chance to show what we could do to a different audience and we did well to finish third. I’d already made my debut for the Under-21s but hadn’t really been a regular pick so it went a long way to helping me break through. It was also good to just get away as a group for a couple of weeks and I think it helped us bond ahead of the Euros qualifying campaign.

You managed to get the better of both Brazil and Indonesia – two teams, it’s fair to say, that you hadn’t come across before.

I think that’s one of the best things about the Toulon tournament. You’re thrown in against teams you’re not used to playing against, with completely different styles. Obviously every team plays in a slightly different way but, more or less, there is maybe a European style. So it was good to be out of any comfort zone in that respect.

How much did scoring that winning goal against Brazil mean to you?

I’ve hardly given it a second thought, honest… No, it meant everything and I came back full of confidence. It was the ideal way to finish what had been a great season on a personal level. To be the first Scotsman to score a winner against Brazil gives me my own unique little bit of history. I’ll always have that. I made sure not to swap my shirt or anything like that. I put mine straight in the bag. I’m not sure our kit-man will forgive me for saying that.

Time will tell what kind of squad Scot takes to France. Do you have any advice for anyone who wasn’t lucky enough to enjoy a taste of it last year?

Just make the most of it. It’s an unbelievable opportunity for any young player to try something different. At the end of long, hard season you never know what the squad will look like. I’m sure there will be at least a couple of new faces who are desperate for a chance to make their mark. There’s also the added incentive of knowing that there’s a new senior Scotland manager in place and you want to give him something to think about. Toulon has that real tournament feel to it, playing every couple of days with the added bonus of a bit of sun on your back. It’s always an honour to be selected for your country and I know whoever is lucky enough to be selected will love it.