Russell Martin urges Scotland to learn from the best ahead of World Cup campaign

Defender Russell Martin feels Scotland have to test themselves against the top teams to aid their World Cup campaign.

Scotland face France on Saturday, six days after failing to trouble Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon once during a 1-0 loss in Malta.

A trip to Metz in the Euro 2016 hosts' final warm-up game is the closest Scotland will get to the main action this summer, but they will be interested spectators when England and Slovakia play in Group B.

Both sides are in Scotland's next qualifying section and Martin wants to be as prepared as possible for taking on the teams later this year.

"This will get us ready physically and mentally," the Norwich defender said.

"We learnt a lot on Sunday night about a different formation. And especially this time of year, you don't want to be coming away and playing friendlies that don't have any meaning.

"I know we've not qualified but these teams are gearing up for the European Championship and we are playing against top teams, so we have to be up and at it or else we are going to be on the receiving end of some wrong results.

"These are the teams you want to be testing yourselves against because, once the qualifiers come around, we are going to be playing against teams of this calibre, and we need to make sure we have got a chance of qualifying."

Scotland only managed one shot on Saturday, and Matt Ritchie's effort flew wide.

So Gordon Strachan's side are eager to show more of a threat against France.

"It will be a step up in terms of intensity and tempo because they are obviously the home nation," Martin said.

"It's going to be a great atmosphere, they have sold it out, and it will be a little taster of what the atmosphere is going to be like at the Euros. So we need to be at it from the start, it's as simple as that and we know that.

"It's a different system (to Italy). France have probably got a little bit more flair in attack, but probably not as good defensively as the Italians.

"So it's a different test but it's against a formation we have played against many times so we have to go there and be prepared, and we need to try and impose our own game a little bit more than we did on Sunday night, in terms of getting on the ball, and movement, and keeping the ball a bit better and hopefully getting a few chances ourselves. So we will go there and we'll have a go.

"It will be an extremely tough game and we need to take into account who we are playing against, but hopefully on Saturday we put on a better show with the ball and keep that spirit and doggedness without it."