Clarke steps down as Scotland boss following elimination

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has stepped down from the role, the Scottish Football Association has announced.

Scotland's departure from the 2026 World Cup was confirmed on Saturday night after Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 in Philadelphia.

Clarke’s side mustered three points from nine in Group C, with a minus three goal difference but as expected it was not enough to secure a place among the eight best third-placed teams who move through to the last-32 of the competition.

After losing 3-0 to Brazil in their final group game, the Scots needed a series of results to go in their favour, most of which did not.

By Saturday, Scotland required favourable outcomes in three group fixtures, the first of which was in Group L where Ghana had to beat Croatia by at least three goals.

Had Ghana done Scotland a favour, a draw between DR Congo and Uzbekistan would have suited Scotland in Group K, or an Uzbekistan win by no more than three goals.

If it came down to Group J, Scotland would have needed Austria to beat Algeria by two goals, or Algeria to win by four goals but almost inevitably, it was all academic and the Scots began packing their bags - and their head coach doing likewise.

In an open letter to supporters, Clarke expressed his pride in the squad's achievements during his tenure.

"The most emotional part of this goodbye is for my players, without whom we wouldn’t have had any of the memories that we’ve accumulated from 2019 until now. They deserve all the praise and adulation that they receive and it was truly an honour to be called their Gaffer.

"Thanks for having me and good luck to my successor."

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