What did the ever-quotable Mark Twain reputedly say about history? It doesn’t repeat itself. But if often rhymes.
As Scotland aim to pen their own epic poem of heroic over-achievement at Euro 2024, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge our national team’s history when it comes to group stage deciders at major finals. It does not make for inspiring reading.
Steve Clarke’s men cannot exactly take inspiration from their predecessors as they look to inflict defeat on Hungary. Nor should they be overly affected by the failings of previous generations; nothing that happened in Argentina 46 years ago is likely to have much bearing on the current Scotland team’s ability to get a win in Stuttgart.
But our shared footballing back story? It is what it is. A tale of regular qualification, variable expectations – and inevitable disappointment on the biggest stage.
We’ve ignored the oddities of Scotland’s first two appearances at World Cup finals, if only because they feel just too distant. For the record, manager Andy Beattie resigned after losing our opener to Austria in the strangely formatted 1954 tournament in Switzerland, which saw the Scots play just two games (they also lost 7-0 to Uruguay) before heading home. Four years later, as Uruguay hosted, our boys at least claimed a single point – courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Yugoslavia – but finished bottom of their group following defeats to Paraguay and France.
Scotland would spend 16 years waiting for their return to the biggest tournament of them all. That’s where we take up our story of make-or-break group games with everything on the line …
1. 1974 World Cup, West Germany: Scotland 1 Yugoslavia 1 – Waldstadion, Frankfurt.
Probably the greatest Scotland team ever assembled. And the fact that they were the only side to go through the 1974 tournament undefeated is taught to every Scottish schoolkid as part of the national curriculum. Ultimately eliminated on goal difference, a group boasting the talents of Billy Bremner, Kenny Dalglish, Denis Law, Joe Jordan (pictured celebrating his equaliser in the final game), Peter Lorimer, Danny McGrain et al paid the price for only beating Zaire 2-0, then drawing 0-0 with Brazil. Still, if they’d defeated the Yugoslavs, who know how far they might have gone? | SNS Group
2. 1978 World Cup, Argentina: Scotland 3 Netherlands 2 – Estadio San Martin, Mendoza.
Goal difference did for Ally McLeod’s band of bold adventurers, a team whose swagger and brilliance convinced a nation that the World Cup was ours for the claiming. Do we have to go through all the details of losing to Peru and then drawing with Iran, or drag up memories of Willie Johnston being sent home after failing a drugs test? Let’s focus, instead, on a glorious solo goal by Achie Gemmill (pictured) against the Dutch. And acknowledge that, even in a victory over one of history’s greatest ever international teams, Scotland found a way to fall short. | SNS Group
3. 1982 World Cup, Spain: Scotland 2 Soviet Union 2 – Stadium La Rosaleda, Malaga.
That goal difference is a bugger, isn’t it? Sure, even a Scotland side including the talents of Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Gordon Strachan (pictured), John Wark and a handful of other top stars would have expected to lose to Brazil. Dave Narey’s ‘toe poke’ remains part of national folklore, all the same. The real damage was done in a 5-2 win over New Zealand. Again, though, a win in the final group game would have been enough. Joe Jordan scored the opener, the Soviets – or the Russians, as commentators of the time insisted on calling the USSR – went 2-1 up, and a late Souness equaliser made no difference to Scotland’s fate. | SNS Group
4. 1986 World Cup, Mexico: Scotland 0, Uruguay 0 – Stadio Neza, Nezahualcoyotl.
Stevie Nicol. Back post. Just bury it. Watch it again and you’ll almost believe that this time he MUST score. Scotland were one missed chance – OK, a half chance – away from escaping the original Group of Death, despite losing to Denmark and West Germany in our first two games. Uruguay, famously labelled “the scum of world football” by then-SFA secretary Ernie Walker, were probably lucky to have only one player sent off in a brutal game that ended goalless, with Scotland having to do some defending against the ten men (see Nicol and Richard Gough combining to block a shot, above). | Getty Images