Former Breedon Highland League star Chris Angus admits a Scotland futsal call-up may be his career highlight.
The 32-year-old is flying out to Switzerland today as part of the national squad who will play in the preliminary qualifier for the 2026 European Championship.
Scotland will take on the Swiss, Malta and Gibraltar in Bern over the next five days.
The top two in the group progress to the next stage of qualification for the tournament in Latvia and Lithuania.
Angus enjoyed a good career in the Highland League with Buckie Thistle and Inverurie Locos.
He helped the Jags win three league titles, two Evening Express Aberdeenshire Cups and the GPH Builders Merchants Highland League Cup.
But after stopping playing 11-a-side, he took up futsal – an indoor five-a-side version of football played with a size four reduced bounce ball – last year, and he plays for Grant Campbell’s Aberdeen Futsal Academy.
Angus said: “Futsal and football are two different entities really. Playing 11-a-side football I knew from a young age I’d never have the chance to represent Scotland, but I really enjoyed the career I had in the Highland League.
“But getting to play for Scotland at futsal probably pips what I did in the Highland League. I think getting a national call-up supercedes everything else.
“This is probably the highlight of my footballing career.
“The top two qualify out of the group and that would be a great achievement if we can manage it.”
Fresh futsal opportunity
Angus also revealed he previously came close to representing Scotland during his time with Buckie and praised Campbell for igniting interest in futsal in the north-east.
He added: “When I was at Buckie, probably 10 years ago, I was offered the chance to play futsal.
“But at that time there was nothing in Aberdeen and I’d have been going down to Perth.
“There was talk about trialling for Scotland back then, but I didn’t go because I got injured playing for Buckie.
“So it wasn’t something I anticipated would happen again.
“When I stopped playing 11-a-side a couple of years ago, I started playing futsal with Grant Campbell to keep fit and it’s spiralled into this national call-up.
“For everything futsal related north of Dundee, you have to give credit to Grant.
“He’s the one who has spear-headed everything and has got everything going and it’s been great to be involved.”
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