Alex Rae is hoping he will finally get his big break for Scotland in their World Cup qualifier against Belgium in March.

Rae, 31, has waited a decade for the opportunity to represent his country at top level.

The attacking midfielder knows he will never have a better chance after helping Sunderland to second place in the Premiership table.

Scotland face Belgium on March 24 and San Marino four days later and Rae confessed: "It would mean everything to me to win a call-up at this stage in my career."

Rae is definitely in Craig Brown's plans and it would be a surprise if the former Falkirk and Millwall player failed to make the breakthrough into the squad.

He has worked well in tandem with team-mate Don Hutchison this season and the pair could now be poised to continue their partnership on the international stage.

Rae, however, refuses to take anything for granted, despite being personally vetted this season by the Scotland coach.

"It's a big ambition of mine to play for Scotland and if it happened I'd be over the moon," he admitted. "It would be the icing on the cake.

"But if I'm not in this time I won't be disheartened because I will still have that ambition in my life.

"I don't know if I have a chance but I've been told that Craig Brown has mentioned me a couple of times.

"I'm playing at a high level every week and my form is consistent. It's certainly my best spell since I came to the club."

Rae has got his life back on track after overcoming drink-related problems. Equally importantly he has been booked just twice all season.

He said: "In the past I've always shot myself in the foot with disciplinary problems. I would get suspended, then struggle to get back in the team.

"Now I'm just happy to be holding down a place. I have international players on either side of me and others on the bench. If you're not on top form you're going to be out."

Rae, who won eight Under-21 caps under Brown while at Millwall, will get a further opportunity to impress when Sunderland face Ipswich in the FA Cup on Saturday and leaders Manchester United at the Stadium of Light next Wednesday.

Ironically Rae used to play for a club called Ipswich when he was a kid and he supported the East Anglian outfit at the time when players like John Wark and Arnold Muhren starred for them.

He explained: "I played for a club in Glasgow called Ipswich Boys club. Ipswich supported us with cash and would often send up signed photographs and bits of merchandise. They were very good."

But there will be no room for sentiment on Saturday when the Wearsiders bid to book a place in the fifth round. Rae said: "Our fate is in our own hands. It's great that we are still in the Cup but the League is our bread and butter.

"If we don't finish in the top five now we'll be very disappointed because it would mean we'd hit a terrible patch of form in our final games.

"It happened last year but we have learnt our lesson. The strength of the squad is the big difference. We have international players coming off the bench and that shows how far we have come. We have a perfect chance to build on what we have achieved and we mustn't waste it."

Sunderland will have to keep their foot on the pedal without Argentinian winger Julio Arca, who is not now expected to return to the club until next month.

Arca scored the only goal in the win over Chile that earned Argentina a place in the final stages of the South American Under 20 tournament. That means he's unlikely to be back before the home game with Liverpool on February 10.