Scotland face Belgium and Russia in Euro 2020 qualifying group

Belgium's Michy Batshuayi celeb rates scoring against Scotland — Michy Batshuayi was one of Belgium's scorers in a 4-0 win at Hampden in September

Scotland have been drawn with world number one ranked Belgium in the Euro 2020 qualifiers along with Russia, Cyprus, Kazakhstan and San Marino.

Alex McLeish's side, presently ranked 38th, were among the third seeds for the draw made in Dublin.

Belgium won 4-0 at Hampden in September when the sides last met in a friendly.

The top two teams from each group qualify for the finals, with Glasgow's Hampden Park being one of 12 host grounds around Europe.

Scotland begin their qualifying campaign with visits to Kazakhstan and San Marino.

Qualifying games will take place between March and November 2019, with the winner and runner-up of each group going through directly.

The qualifying process is condensed because of this year's Nations League group games and McLeish's side are guaranteed a play-off semi-final place - provisionally against Finland at Hampden - should they not finish in the top two, after topping their Nations League group.

Wembley will stage both the semi-finals and the final of Euro 2020, as well as three group games and a last-16 match.

Hampden and Dublin's Aviva Stadium will each host three group games and a last-16 match.

With World Cup semi-finalists Belgium strong favourites to top Group I, Scotland are likely to do be battling it out for second place with Russia, who reached the quarter-finals at this year's finals after hosting the tournament.

Stanislav Cherchesov's side are 10 places below the Scots in the world rankings but were seeded second for the draw based on their Nations League performance, having finished second in their League B group behind Sweden.

Cyprus, currently ranked 86, were relegated from Nations League C despite finishing above Slovenia in their group and behind Norway and Bulgaria.

Kazakhstan are ranked 120th and remain in Nations League D after finishing second in their section behind Georgia.

San Marino are the world's worst-ranked side, at 211, and finished bottom of their Nations League group without a point from their six games.

Scotland Euro 2020 qualifying fixtures — Scotland begin their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign in Kazakhstan

Who are Scotland's opponents?

Belgium

Ranking: 1

Head coach: Roberto Martinez, 45, Spanish, former Swansea City, Wigan Athletic and Everton boss appointed in 2016.

Top players: Belgium have a squad full of world-class players, with Chelsea winger Eden Hazard and Manchester City's currently injured Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings in midfield. Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata has established himself as a regular in the squad.

Previous meetings with Scotland: Belgium won the most recent meeting 4-0 in a friendly in Glasgow in September. Scotland have only won four of the 18 meetings between the sides, with the Red Devils triumphing 11 times. They are unbeaten in five meetings with the Scots since a 2-0 defeat in Glasgow in 1988.

Russia

Ranking: 48

Head coach: Stanislav Cherchesov, Russian, former Dynamo Moscow and Legia Warsaw boss appointed in 2016.

Top players: Most of Russia's squad play in their homeland, but winger Denis Cheryshev, currently on loan to Valencia from Villarreal, was their main goal threat as they belied recent form by reaching the last eight of their own World Cup finals.

Previous meetings: Scotland have only played Russia twice since the break up of the Soviet Union - in the European Championship qualifiers in 1995, when games in Glasgow and Moscow were drawn.

Cyprus

Ranking: 86

Head coach: Ran Ben Shimon, 48, Israeli, former Ashdod, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv boss appointed in 2017.

Top players: Copenhagen striker Pieros Sotiriou is the main goal threat in a squad made up mainly of players playing in their domestic league, while 20-year-old midfielder Grigoris Kastanos is on the fringes at Juventus. However, there are plenty of British connections.

Georgios Efrem spent time with Rangers and on loan to Dundee, while fellow APOEL winger Andreas Makris was with Walsall. Larnaca striker Onisiforos Roushias was with Middlesbrough as youth, while their defence has many players who started in the UK. Gangwon's Valentinos Sielis was with Doncaster Rovers, APOEL's Nicholas Ioannou and Kostakis Artymatas with Manchester United and Nottingham Forest, with Apollon Limassol's Andreas Karo also with Forest.

Previous meetings: Scotland have won all five of their games against Cyprus, the most recent being a 2-1 win in a 2011 friendly in Larnaca.

Kazakhstan

Ranking: 120

Head coach: Stanimir Stoilov, 51, Bulgarian, former Bulgaria and Astana boss, appointed in January.

Top players: Centre-half Yuriy Logvinenko is the most-capped player in a squad built around his Kazakhstan Premier League champions, Astana. However, Tobol goalkeeper Dmytro Mykhaylovych Nepohodov spent some time with Marseille and Kairat midfielder Georgy Zhukov was with Standard Liege.

Previous meetings: None.

San Marino

Ranking: 211

Head coach: Franco Varrella, 65, Italian former boss of Brescia, Salernitana and Reggiana appointed in January.

Top players: San Marino's squad generally comes from players in Italy's third and fourth tiers. The 18-year-old Nicola Nanni is, though, on the books of Serie B outfit Crotone, while fellow striker Filippo Berardi is with Torino but on loan to Monopoli in Serie C.

Previous meetings: Scotland have not lost a goal in six consecutive wins over San Marino, scoring 19 times. Their most recent match-up was a 4-0 victory in Glasgow in a World Cup qualifier in 2001.